FIREFIGHTERS from North Tawton last week raced to help rescue a man trapped in his upturned car in a river at Coldridge, near Winkleigh.

The incident happened early on Friday morning on the B3220 ? a passerby helped keep the man?s head above water for more than 30 minutes while emergency services arrived to contact them.

North Tawton fire chief Twiggy Lake said: ?He was a very lucky man indeed. Both he and the man who kept his head out of the water had been in there for half an hour before we arrived and they were both beginning to suffer from hypothermia.

?We had to work pretty quickly to get them out.?

Mr Lake said the car was upside down in the river, with the driver trapped inside by his feet.

?By using lines and ladders and water rescue equipment we were able to extricate him from the car to the bank. He was given first aid and was taken to hospital by ambulance,? said Mr Lake.

Devon and Cornwall Police have praised the action of the passerby and another who called 999 to alert the emergency services.

A spokesman said their quick thinking had saved the man?s life.