A DRIVER lay in agony for nine hours after his car ploughed through a fence and crashed 20 feet down a sheer embankment into a Blackburn river.

The 23-year-old man was airlifted to hospital with a broken leg and suspected internal injuries after being rescued when his cries for help were eventually heard.

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Police said he had spent the night trapped alone in his car.

Four fire crews and paramedics cut the injured man free after a passer-by in Philips Road heard shouts for help at around 9am yesterday.

Lancashire police said the man’s silver Vauxhall Corsa was believed to have plunged into the River Blakewater at around midnight after he lost control.

He was cut free from the vehicle and taken on a stretcher to Royal Preston Hospital by the North West Air Ambulance.

Lancashire Telegraph:

A broken fence at the scene was cordoned off, while wooden panel could still be seen floating in the shallow waterway yesterday afternoon.

Ian Ward, 49, who witnessed the rescue operation, said: “They had a sort-of cherry picker out to bring him back up the the surface.

“You can see the damage where the car has gone through the fence. I’ve spoken to one or two residents who said they heard a bang during the night but thought nothing more of it.

“The car was in the river on all four wheels. If it had flipped over when it went down I don’t think that man would still be here.

“The emergency services were here for about two hours and I was really impressed with them. The air ambulance landed on the cage (football pitch) and all the kids came out from St Stephen’s to have a look.

“The guy, an Asian lad, came out on a stretcher and it flew off towards Preston.”

Another rescue witness, Terry Brown, 60, said: “It’s lucky there hasn’t been more rain recently or you would think the consequences would have been much worse.”

Crews from Blackburn, Darwen, Hyndburn, and Great Harwood stations attended the scene after receiving calls from the police.

A specialist water treatment team from Penwortham was also mobilised, but was not needed as there was just six inches of water in the culvert.

Lee Cook, watch manager at Hyndburn fire station, said: “We went with an aerial appliance as the access to the car was quite tricky because it was so far down.

“We used the appliance to lower a platform down. The victim was put on a basket stretcher, moved on to the platform by paramedics, and taken to the air ambulance.

“We also assisted in the recovery of the vehicle, so were there for about two-and-a-half hours in total.”

The River Blakewater passes underneath Philips Road, between Glenfield Court and Harwood Gate, near the Beechwood Road mini-roundabout.

Lancashire police said the incident was not subject to a criminal investigation.

Lancashire Telegraph:

A spokesman said: “We were alerted at around 9am that a Vauxhall Corsa had left the road and was in a river close to Philips Road.

“A 23-year-old was found in the vehicle and was transported to hospital by air ambulance.

“We had been alerted by a passerby who had heard shouts for help.

“He had a suspected broken leg and possible internal injuries. It is understood the accident happened at around midnight, nine hours earlier. It appears the driver just lost control.”

The North West Air Ambulance confirmed that a helicopter was sent to the scene at 9.45am and later transported a casualty to Preston.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or saw the Corsa beforehand is asked to call police on 101.