Where did we leave the car, dear? Driver returns to vehicle to discover it swallowed by the sea with YACHTS sailing around it after tide came in
A hapless driver returned to his car to find it almost fully submerged underwater - with sailing boats cruising past it.
The unsuspecting driver had parked the car on a riverside road in Norfolk on Sunday - seemingly unaware that high spring tide would soon render the area more suitable for boats than for vehicles.
Bizarre photos show bemused sailors cruising past the near-drowned silver car, which appears to have its front, driver-side window left open as the water rose around it.
One image even shows a man in a speedboat approaching the car - seemingly trying to work out a way to rescue it.
The car was caught in the rapidly-rising tides on the Holkham estate, just down the road from Burnham Overy Boathouse.
Tim Gatti, who manages the boathouse, has warned other drivers to be wary of the high tides - which happen twice a day and, most of the time, will flood that bit of the road.
A hapless driver returned to his car to find it almost fully submerged underwater - with sailing boats cruising past it
The unsuspecting driver had parked the car on a riverside road in Norfolk on Sunday - seemingly unaware that high spring tide would soon render the area more suitable for boats than for vehicles
Bizarre photos show bemused sailors cruising past the near-drowned silver car, which appears to have its front, driver-side window left open as the water rose around it
Tim, 70, who has worked at the boathouse for the last five years, said: 'There are signs in place around that area telling drivers that it is not a formal car park, and should not be treated as one.
'Unfortunately, some people do not know about the tides, and they turn up and think they're parking next to a little river - and then later, are very surprised.
'People need to bear in mind this is not just a gentle little river - this is a tidal estuary.
'We get high tides twice a day, and most high tides will flood that bit of road. It is not always as bad as that - the tide varies each day.'
Tim added that the drowned car on Sunday is by no means an isolated incident.
He said: 'It is not just visitors who fall foul of the tide on that road - locals do it too.
'They'll park their cars there and then later realise and feel silly about it.
'I'd say we've had more incidents this summer because lots of tourists have been flocking to the coast for a holiday during the Covid pandemic.
'I've seen it happen about five times this summer.
'This particular car was completely flooded. It took about a day to get a recovery vehicle down to rescue it.'
Tim urged visitors to the coast to check the tide timetables, which can be found at the boathouse.