A WOMAN had to be rescued after she was trapped in a car that was filling with water.Police, ambulance, the coastguard and the lifeboat rescue team attended the incident at 6.30pm.

A WOMAN had to be rescued after she was trapped in a car that was filling with water.

Police, ambulance, the coastguard and the lifeboat rescue team attended the incident at 6.30pm yesterday in The Strood, Peldon, near Mersea, Essex, after the car left the road and plunged into the river.

The woman driver was trapped in the vehicle and had to be rescued by firefighters from Colchester and West Mersea. She was out within minutes of them arriving.

John Nicholls, clinical manager of the East of England Ambulance Service said: “The woman was believed to have left the road and ended up about 30 feet in the water. The RAF and RNLI were asked to attend as the main concern for the crews was the tide which was beginning to rise, making the working conditions treacherous.

“Eventually the woman was released from her car and airlifted by the RAF to Colchester Hospital with minor injuries.

“Everyone on scene worked well together to ensure the rescue went as smoothly as it could, and did an exceptional job bearing in mind they were working in such difficult circumstances.”