Heroes one and all

Our local firefighters have been branded ‘heroic’ after helping with the chopper rescue of a man who was swept away in his car during the height of last night’s storm.

As our dramatic picture sent in by one of the many witnesses shows, a search and rescue Sea King from North Wales was needed to save the man, said to be in his 60’s, from a road close to COBRA Rugby Club in Meifod.

Readers contacted us last night and this morning to share what they saw with one, who asked not to be named, saying it was “heroic”.

“It appeared that the man’s car was trapped in water on the road which was rapidly rising after the river burst its banks,” she said. “His car drifted and luckily got wedged against a tree but the water was rising all the time and the current was perilous.

“The firefighters were heroic, and eventually a helicopter hovered in and winched a guy onto the car and got him out.”

The incident happened as the flood waters rose rapidly late afternoon with Welshpool Fire Station’s Swift Water Response Team called at 5.45pm along with the chopper.

The man was flown to hospital where he was said to have been in good health and released.