Three saved from floods in Coughton

Friday 23 November 2012 Updated: 26/11 10:18

No cycling - for more than one reason - at Kingfisher Pool, Warwick. Picture by Jo Beckett. (s)

THREE elderly people were saved after their car was swept away by floods near Alcester today (Friday).

As they attempted to drive a Vauxhall Corsa through a ford in Coughton Lane, Coughton, which had been closed due to the recent downpoars, the car was swept downstream.

Two ambulances, a paramedic, a paramedic officer, the Hazardous Area Response Team and the Midlands Air Ambulance from Strensham all attended the scene around 11.30am to help rescue the passengers.

They were pulled out of the sinking vehicle through the windows before a local farmer used his tractor to help rescue the car, which had been carried 500 yards downstream.

Two women and one man were treated for shock and hypothermia by ambulance crews and were taken to the Alexandra Hospital in Redditch for further assessment and treatment shortly afterwards.

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: “According to our crews, the three occupants of the car had a lucky escape.”