Suspected stolen car which crashed into River Croal finally recovered

The driver of the red VW Golf failed to stop for police on Loxham Street in Moses Gate after midnight on January 22.

After a short pursuit, the car crashed into wooden fencing and was left partially submerged in water after sliding down a 60m embankment.

Emergency services including an air unit and paramedics, rushed to the scene.

Three teenage boys were rescued by firefighters and a fourth youth was involved but did not need to be saved.

The suspected car thieves, aged between 13 and 16, were taken to hospital to be assessed for non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

The VW Golf in the water after the crash in January (Picture: Carl Haslam/Greater Manchester Fire and Rescue Service)

Following the incident the vehicle was left stranded and stormy weather pushed it downstream in the River Croal.

Voluntary organisation Community 4x4 Response stepped in to offer their help and discussed with Bolton Council and the Environment Agency how they could remove the VW from the water.

The recovery operation was approved and 12 team members with six vehicles hauled the car from the river on Saturday.

Co-founder of the not-for-profit group, Graham Jones, a Bolton resident, proposed the plan as the car was becoming an “eyesore” for the area.

He said: “It was my idea as the vehicle had been there a long time and was a bit of an eyesore for the residents living round there.

“It was also an environmental issue as well.

“The job wasn’t easy.

“We get there at 10.30pm and were there for around five hours.

“We had to start by clearing all the scrubland to get access to the car as with it being an area of special significance for the Environment Agency and Bolton Council we had to be careful not to damage any trees.

“The banking is very, very steep and we had to bring the car up there.

“There were 12 members of the team with six vehicles in two rows of three to take the strain of the vehicle.

“Two of the vehicles at the front winched the car out of the water.

“We had two people who went in the water to put the safety harness on to the vehicle.”

The car being dragged out of the river and after it was removed (Pictures: Phil Thompson)

Farnworth councillor Paul Sanders has been heavily involved in talks to remove the car from the water.

He said: "Over the months, the car became somewhat of an item of fascination for locals and visitors, but all will agree that it is great to see the car finally removed from the river.

"Community 4x4 Response have done an awesome job and I know it wasn't an easy project.

"I continued to keep the issue of the car on the agenda and when 4x4 Community Response got in touch with me, I knew this could be the opportunity for a good outcome.

"The nature of the project, and of course covid restrictions, meant that the salvage operation had to be carried out in relative secrecy.

"In usual times I imagine tens of people watching and filming from Wilson's Bridge.

"Fortunately 4x4 captured drone footage and photos of their immense efforts."

Bolton Council and the Environment Agency has also praised the work of the volunteers.

Executive member for environmental services delivery at the council, Cllr Adele Warren, said: “I am really pleased that this has been sorted thanks to the help of Community 4x4 Response.

“Our team met with them and the Environment Agency recently to resolve the issue of the stolen car in the river.

“The volunteers from Community Response have done a brilliant job in retrieving the vehicle – it was a very steep ravine, and their operation was executed perfectly.”

An Environment Agency spokeswoman said: “We thank the community for reporting a car in the River Croal.

"Due to the car causing an increased flood rick our sale operations team worked in partnership with Bolton Council and Community 4x4 Response to remove it at the weekend.

"Residents are able to report any environmental issues to our hotline on 0800 80 70 60.”

Graham, a former ambulance technician, was in charge of one of the two vehicles that winched the car out of the water.

Community 4x4 Response, which was set up in May and is based across the north west, helps emergency services and hospitals as well as local authorities.