POLICE received a 999 call yesterday (February 17) at around 5pm stating a van had left the road near North Petherwin and was stuck in fast flowing water, with one person trapped inside.

Two appliances from Launceston, water rescue units from Bude, St Austell and Plymouth, along with four station managers were mobilised, and responded alongside Devon and Cornwall Police.

A Cornwall Fire and Rescue Service spokesperson said: “The police informed us that they also received a call stating a van had crashed and the occupant was on the bonnet of the van in fast flowing water.

“After a brief search of the area the first crew located the vehicle and found the occupant had self-rescued from the vehicle and made his way to the riverbank. The occupant was checked over by police and fire crews at the scene and declined medical attention.”

They added: “We would like to thank both Devon and Somerset Fire and Rescue for providing mutual aid for this incident, and Devon and Cornwall Police control room staff for assisting us to locate the incident.”

The teams have advised that if anyone sees a person trapped in water inland, they should always dial 999 and ask for the fire service.

Visit the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) website for further details on what to do if a vehicle ends up in water, www.rospa.com/leisure-safety/water/advice/vehicles.aspx