River Esk deaths: Men trapped in 4x4 'were swept away'

The recovered vehicle was removed from the river by a tractor

A local resident who tried to save three men who became submerged in a 4x4 vehicle has said they were "swept away" by the river as they attempted to cross a ford.

The men died after their vehicle entered the River Esk near Glaisdale in the North York Moors on Thursday.

Chris Ford, who lives nearby, said the men had been trying to cross water on Rake Lane.

The river had carried them around 365 m (400 yards) downstream, he said.

Mr Ford had been called to the scene to help recover the vehicle with his tractor and found the 4x4 fully submerged beneath the water with the three men inside, who he said were an "off-roading group".

"There was a ford they were going over and they were swept down 400 yards," he said.

A local resident said the men had been trying to cross water on Rake Lane

He and two others used tractors to pull the 4x4 on to the riverbank.

"There was a couple of vehicles - one parked up," he said.

"You couldn't see the [other] vehicle. It was 3ft beneath the water.

"I helped get it out on to the riverbank with three other tractors."

'Hazardous conditions'

Police said another man, who attempted to help those trapped in the car, was pulled from the river and needed medical treatment.

Local residents Rosie and Andrew Dale said they saw several 4x4 vehicles pass their home nearby in the direction of the ford shortly before the incident.

The area is popular with 4x4 drivers, she said, adding: "In the summer you get 10 of them at a time."

Police warned of hazardous driving conditions in the area

A spokesperson for North Yorkshire Police said: "Localised conditions across our area are making driving hazardous.

"Roads are particularly badly affected around the River Esk, to the north of the county, as we have seen with the tragic incident near Glaisdale."