Police save woman from drowning in dramatic video shared to highlight danger of driving into water

The video from West Mercia Police has been published with the driver's consent to help push an important safety message about not driving into water.

The video shows officers wading in to get to the car which was front first in the swollen river and threatening to drown the driver.

Police received a 999 call on Tuesdaymorning that the woman was stuck in the ford in the Worcester area.

Due to heavy rainfall in the area the ford had been subject to flash flooding.

Emergency services were called with police officers arriving first at the scene discovering the car was already at least 10 metres downstream and submerged underwater.

A spokesman for the police force, which also covers the Shropshire region, said: "As the woman was in immediate danger officers acted quickly to rescue her with one officer wading into the water to keep the woman calm while other officers worked on breaking the driver’s window.

"After successfully breaking the car window, the woman was pulled through the driver’s side window with officers at the scene forming a human chain to successfully rescue the woman from the vehicle before it sank into the water.

"The woman was rescued from the vehicle within 20 minutes of the call to police."

Chief Inspector Brian Gibbs said: “Unfortunately the woman found herself in difficulty in the ford and we’re really pleased officers were able to act so swiftly and rescue her before the vehicle sank too far under the water. Thankfully she wasn’t injured during the incident.

“This is, however, a stark reminder of how dangerous the water can be and we would always urge motorists to take care and avoid driving through large pools of water. I am immensely proud of the work of our team, they all acted in the finest traditions of policing acting quickly and instinctively working together as a team to rescue the lady.

"Well done to all the officers involved for their quick lifesaving actions!"