A car was rescued after getting trapped underwater on the only road connecting Mersea Island to the UK mainland.

The Strood - a tidal causeway also known as Mersea Road - often floods during high tide, cutting off access for vehicles and pedestrians.

Mat Harvey, 32, was paddleboarding nearby when he spotted the submerged car with an elderly couple still inside.

Two RNLI rescue team members were already on the scene, but Mat jumped in to help.

A dramatic video shows the trio pushing the waterlogged vehicle to safety as the couple sat inside, cold and soaked.

The pair were evacuated from the car and treated by a waiting ambulance.

Mat, an estate agent in Colchester, Essex, said: "It's not too out of the ordinary for someone to get stuck on the Strood."

"But it was the first time I'd helped out like this."

"Luckily no one was injured but I did feel really bad them being trapped in a submerged car like that."

Mat is a local to the area, so he knows to check online to see how high the tide is forecast to come in along the Strood.

On this day in November 2023, the tide was due to come in higher than usual - at 5.6 meters.

Mat said: "As someone who deals with the Strood regularly, I know when and how to check it's tide forecast."

"But tourists, which I understood these people were, may not know that."

"They will drive out onto it unaware of what they're heading into."

The effort took four people in total, while the couple remained inside the vehicle for their own safety.

Mat said: "They had already become quite wet and cold from sitting in the car for a period of time so the RNLI team wanted to keep them as dry as possible."

"There was an ambulance waiting for them once they were out of the water and therefore able to leave the car."

"Luckily I don't think anyone was seriously injured or ill, but I would assume the car is a total write off."

"The amount of salt water that would have gotten in and affected the vehicle would have permanently damaged it."