Wave goodbye to two sets of wheels

High drama at high tide as RNLI crew twice called out to rescue swamped cars in space of 90 minutes

THE highest tide of the year so far got the better of two drivers, who found their cars swamped by the sea and in need of rescue within 90 minutes of each other.

A crew from Redcar RNLI responded to the first call-out at 3.20pm on Wednesday after coastguards received 999 calls saying two people were on the roof of a vehicle on the town’s beach as the water came in.

The trapped pair, who had been launching a speedboat when they came into difficulty, were able to make their own way to safety. But to avoid the owner attempting to recover the vehicle himself, and potential pollution from the vehicle’s fuel tank, the lifeboat-launching tractor was used to pull it clear of the water.

As the crew were standing down, calls were made to the coastguard reporting that the driver of a second vehicle was in difficulties trying to recover a speedboat on to its trailer near the Marine Club at South Gare.

Dave Cocks, who has worked at the RNLI station for 36 years, said it was the first time in his experience that a crew had been called out twice in one day to this type of rescue.

He said: “The tide in the morning had been the highest of the year, it was coming in very quickly. The first vehicle was swamped in around five to six feet of water in just 45 minutes.”

The two cars weren’t the only things in deep trouble this week. A herd of cattle remained stranded in fields in Hedon, East Yorkshire, yesterday as floodwater inundated farmland. Simon Saunt, who farms with his father Stuart and brother Mark, said 64 heifers were stuck without food.

A nearby drain, which is maintained by the Environment Agency, appeared to be causing the problem. The agency said intense, localised rainfall caused the water levels in Burstwick Drain to rise onto the floodplain and added that the water would take some time to completely dissipate.

Bridlington is to receive £56,925 from a Government fund pot aimed at alleviating flood damage caused by last winter’s storms.

DEEP TROUBLE: The lifeboat crew rescuing two cars which ended up in the North Sea at Redcar after their drivers were caught out by the highest tide of the year so far. Both vehicles were towed out of the water to cut the risk of pollution from their...