A COUPLE got into a spot of bother when a high spring tide threatened to wash their car out into the River Blackwater.

The couple and their pet dog were driving along the Hard, in Coast Road, West Mersea, on Wednesday when their Vauxhall Zafira got swamped in more than a foot of seawater.

Artist and Art Cafe owner James Weaver watched the scene unfold from his studio before a fisherman used his tow truck to pull the car to dry land.

Mr Weaver, 53, said: “The driver decided to drive through along the Coast Road at high tide and was completely flooded.

“The fellow got out and was up to his knees – he jumped out and knocked on my door and said ‘Can someone give me a tow?’

One of the fishermen kindly used his pick up truck to get them out while the water was still coming in.”

Maldon and Burnham Standard:

The AA turned up shortly afterwards to tow the car away.

Mr Weaver added: “It was a much bigger tide than people were expecting. People shouldn’t do it really. They should just drive on the street beside the yacht club. The water is quite a bit deeper than it looks sometimes.

“They weren’t in any danger, it’s just you ruin your car if you drive it in the seawater.”