Driver rescued from stranded vehicle on Northumberland ford crossing

The incident happened at Coldgate Ford, North Middleton, near Wooler, on Thursday evening around 6.30pm.

Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service attended with support from Northumberland National Park Mountain Rescue Service.

The swiftwater team from Berwick fire station managed to safely extricate the driver from his vehicle using an extendable ladder.

If the ladder not reached the vehicle, a much more complex rescue involving a tethered boat and more personnel would have been required.

Once safely back on dry land, a mountain rescue medic checked over the driver before the arrival of a crew from the North East Ambulance Service.

It was the same location where a driver was rescued from the roof of a Royal Mail van in January 2021.

A prolonged period of heavy rainfall also flooded the East Coast Mainline, stopping trains between Newcastle and Berwick on Friday.