A bit more has emerged about the rescue from the Land Rover.
Quote:
Trapped in surging flood waters and facing the prospect of imminent drowning, most drivers would welcome the appearance of the emergency services.
But one Yorkshire farmer refused to abandon his beloved Land Rover and fought off rescue teams as they attempted to pluck him to safety.
The elderly motorist had floated into Mytholmroyd in West Yorkshire in the heavy flood water from the River Calder.
However, rather than abandoning his vehicle, the driver remained put, with his windscreen wipers going, ignoring offers of help from passers-by, as the waters crept up the side of the vehicle.
When emergency services eventually arrived to pull him free, only a few inches of windscreen remained above the rising waters.
Rescuers had to use kayaks to reach him and struggled against the current of the surging flood water.
But when they eventually made it to the Land Rover and broke into his sun-roof, they were met with a torrent of abuse.
“He basically slagged off his rescuers for breaking his sunroof, which they had to yank off to free him,” said eyewitness Stuart Asquith, 51.
“One rescuer had even got hold of him to try and help him out and he shuck them off – he was stubborn “
The red Land Rover had floated backwards on Burnley Road, which runs parallel to the River Calder, into the centre of Mytholmroyd and nobody realised anybody was inside at first.
“I’m sure he was scared and shook up, but he was abrasive and did not want to leave his Land Rover,” said Mr Asquith.
“He was sat there for 10 to 15 minutes with the water getting higher and higher until the mountain rescue guys in the kayaks had no choice but to pull him out. His Land Rover was virtually submerged.
“He owes them his life, but he seems more concerned with his Land Rover. He told someone to go and get his keys after he was on dry land.”
The man was taken to safety on a dinghy and sent to a local hospital for a check-up.
His Land Rover was left parked in a muddy car park in Mytholmroyd. The sun roof was missing and a shepherds crook could be seen in the back, alongside animal feed bags.
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People can do irrational things in moments of stress, but behaviour like that beggars belief.
Incidentally, the wheelie bin floating past at about the 4.00 mark gives a good indication of the speed of the flow.
Daily Telegraph.