A driver had a miraculous escape when he was pulled from icy waters after his car plunged 15ft over a bridge.

Firefighters cut the man free and he was then pulled out by paramedics and taken to Broomfield Hospital, Chelmsford, with apparently no injuries.

The dramatic rescue took place just after 10pm last night after the car, travelling from Chelmsford towards Danbury, plunged over the bridge into Sandon Brook, Sandon.

A mystery hero was at the scene before the emergency services arrived and waded into the water to help.

A spokeswoman for Essex Ambulance Service said the car was submerged in about 5ft of water when ambulancemen Garry Clark and Darren Credland arrived at the scene.

Mr Clark said it was thanks to the passing Good Samaritan that he was able to do his job quickly.

The ambulance spokeswoman said: "The driver was very lucky because although the car was under the water he was not wet. But he was very frightened and extremely cold."

The accident was one of many suffered on roads in mid-Essex after severe frosts left them slippery with ice.

An elderly pedestrian was taken to Broomfield Hospital last night after she and a car collided.

Piera Cole, 72, of Hazlewood Court, Heybridge, received cuts to the face from the accident in Wood Road, Heybridge at about 6pm.

This morning many people arrived late for work as they grappled with the treacherous conditions.

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