By Phil Coleman

Last updated at 12:25, Monday, 02 July 2012

A motorist had a miraculous escape when his car crashed off a road bridge at night and into a 6ft-deep river near Kirkbride.

The accident was remarkably similar to a crash near Appleby over the weekend which claimed the lives of an elderly couple.

Four fire crews were called to the scene of the accident, beneath the Newton Arlosh to Angerton Bridge on the B5307 just before 1.30am yesterday.

Station manager George Sansom described how the firefighters arrived at the scene to find wet footprints on the road, suggesting that the driver had escaped from the crashed Volvo S40.

But the crews – from Carlisle’s two fire stations and Wigton – used safety lines and other equipment to check the submerged car in case anybody was trapped inside.

“Fortunately, there were no other occupants in the vehicle,” said Mr Sansom.

“I believe that the police are continuing their inquiries but it’s fair to say that the person who was in this car was very lucky to get out of it.”

He added that the operation to check inside the car had been challenging and potentially hazardous but the firefighters who went into the water had had specialist training.

It is not known whether the owner of the car has been traced nor how the accident happened.

First published at 11:25, Monday, 02 July 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk