Three saved after car crashes off cliff into river

The car fell from the road, where lights can be seen, into the River Dart, the fire service said

Three people have been rescued by firefighters in south Devon after a vehicle left the road, fell down a cliff and ended up in a river.

Devon and Somerset Fire Service said they were called at about 22:30 BST on Friday to a report of a crash in the Poundsgate area of Dartmoor.

Crews from Ashburton, Bovey Tracey and Buckfastleigh attended and used a saw to remove the windscreen, the fire service said.

Chris Stanton, from Ashburton Fire Station, said: "They were lucky not have more serious injuries."

He said the car had come off a steep hill near the junction to Spitchwick.

"It's a really really sharp corner and basically a 60ft (18m) drop straight off the road and into the River Dart," he said.

He said the car plunged down a wooded cliff face before toppling on the edge of the river.

"The car was on its side, resting on rocks in the water. If they'd moved much they would have been in 8ft of water," he said.

He said the driver and two passengers were taken by ambulance to hospital with injuries including cuts, bruises, a head injury and a back injury.