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| Rescue as river sweeps car away | Rescue as river sweeps car away |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| A student has told how he and a friend were trapped for two hours on a car roof after it was swept away along a flooded river. | |
| The normally calm ford across the Afon Cegin in Bangor, Gwynedd, turned into a "raging torrent" after 24 hours' rain. | The normally calm ford across the Afon Cegin in Bangor, Gwynedd, turned into a "raging torrent" after 24 hours' rain. |
| It was the second similar incident in two weeks in the area, and driver Jonathan Ellis Roberts, 21, said he and his friend were lucky to be alive. | It was the second similar incident in two weeks in the area, and driver Jonathan Ellis Roberts, 21, said he and his friend were lucky to be alive. |
| North Wales Fire and Rescue Service had numerous calls to floods on Tuesday. | |
| Mr Ellis Roberts, who is studying at Bangor University, said he had driven through the ford earlier in the evening with no problems, before the Ford Focus was swept along about 200 yards (180m) by the water. | |
| "I feel embarrassed by what happened, but I went through it again because I'd had no problems earlier," he said. | "I feel embarrassed by what happened, but I went through it again because I'd had no problems earlier," he said. |
| The incident happened at about 2130 BST on Tuesday in pitch darkness and torrential rain. My friend managed to drag me back in and I climbed onto the roof of the car and helped her to get to a nearby tree Jonathan Ellis Roberts | The incident happened at about 2130 BST on Tuesday in pitch darkness and torrential rain. My friend managed to drag me back in and I climbed onto the roof of the car and helped her to get to a nearby tree Jonathan Ellis Roberts |
| "I immediately felt the surge of water, and water started coming into the car. At first we bobbed along then it became stuck between two trees." | "I immediately felt the surge of water, and water started coming into the car. At first we bobbed along then it became stuck between two trees." |
| Mr Roberts said he managed to get the car door open but when he stepped out of the car he "went under". | Mr Roberts said he managed to get the car door open but when he stepped out of the car he "went under". |
| "My friend managed to drag me back in and I climbed onto the roof of the car and helped her to get to a nearby tree. | "My friend managed to drag me back in and I climbed onto the roof of the car and helped her to get to a nearby tree. |
| 'Cries for help' | 'Cries for help' |
| "I was afraid the car would be swept further downstream." | "I was afraid the car would be swept further downstream." |
| Nearby resident David Roberts heard their cries for help as he drove to the ford to take pictures. | Nearby resident David Roberts heard their cries for help as he drove to the ford to take pictures. |
| "I went down there to take pictures to send to the council to show them how dangerous the river can be," he said. | "I went down there to take pictures to send to the council to show them how dangerous the river can be," he said. |
| Mr Ellis Roberts said he felt lucky to be alive.In pictures | |
| "But when I opened my car window to have a proper look I heard people shouting." | "But when I opened my car window to have a proper look I heard people shouting." |
| Another man then ran up and told him a car had been swept down stream out of view of the crossing, and two people were stuck. | Another man then ran up and told him a car had been swept down stream out of view of the crossing, and two people were stuck. |
| The two then used ropes to try to secure the car to nearby trees. | The two then used ropes to try to secure the car to nearby trees. |
| "I know the river well, because I walk here every day, and I was afraid it was going to be turned over by the current, which would have thrown the two people into the water. | "I know the river well, because I walk here every day, and I was afraid it was going to be turned over by the current, which would have thrown the two people into the water. |
| "This is not the first time this kind of thing has happened here, and I think the council should do something," he added. | "This is not the first time this kind of thing has happened here, and I think the council should do something," he added. |
| A recovery truck driver sent to try to retrieve the car said it was the second time in two weeks he had been called to the river to get a vehicle out. | A recovery truck driver sent to try to retrieve the car said it was the second time in two weeks he had been called to the river to get a vehicle out. |
| Former fireman David Jones, from Glansinfryn, who walks his dog in the area every day, said: "The council do put up signs sometimes to say that the road is closed because of flooding, but I've seen people move them and drive through anyway". | Former fireman David Jones, from Glansinfryn, who walks his dog in the area every day, said: "The council do put up signs sometimes to say that the road is closed because of flooding, but I've seen people move them and drive through anyway". |
| Steve Neale of North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the car had been travelling from the Llandegai area of Bangor towards the village of Glasinfryn. | Steve Neale of North Wales Fire and Rescue Service said the car had been travelling from the Llandegai area of Bangor towards the village of Glasinfryn. |
| "The man and woman, both students, were rescued after they became trapped on the roof of their car as they negotiated a ford which had swollen after severe weather. | "The man and woman, both students, were rescued after they became trapped on the roof of their car as they negotiated a ford which had swollen after severe weather. |
| "The stretch of water, which crossed the road naturally, was much more treacherous than they had thought," he added. | "The stretch of water, which crossed the road naturally, was much more treacherous than they had thought," he added. |