A dramatic rescue operation was launched after an elderly motorist became stuck waist-deep in floodwaters when his car stalled on a narrow country lane in Shropshire.

Firefighters discovered a boat “in an amazing stroke of luck” tied up on the side of the road and managed to reach the trapped 79-year-old man.

The motorist, believed to be from the Telford area, made an emergency distress call after his vehicle got stuck in the floodwater near to the Royal Hill Inn, Edgerley, just after noon on Saturday.

Leading firefighter Geoff Davies from Baschurch Fire Station said the four-man crew could not reach the man because of the floods.

“We would have called out our fire service boat, but by an amazing stroke of luck there was a boat tied up by the side of the road,” he said.

“Because he had been in the water for some time and he was apparently a diabetic we used the boat to rescue the gentleman as quickly as we could and get him back to dry land. Time was of the essence as he had been sitting waist deep in the water. Thankfully he had a mobile phone with him otherwise he might not have been found for a long time.”

The rescue, just after midday on Saturday, has led to firefighters urging motorists with four-wheel-drive vehicles not to chance driving through floods.

Mr Davies added: “He had a 4×4 vehicle and I suppose thought it would get through the floods. We would urge people not to assume they can get through anything.”

He was taken by ambulance to the Royal Shrewsbury Hospital for a precautionary check-up.

The rescue came as flood waters began to subside across Shropshire and Mid Wales. But now plummeting temperatures are set to cause problems in the region with temperatures of -3 degree celsius forecast overnight.

John Warner, Shropshire Star weatherman, said he expected the road gritters to be out tonight, adding: “It’s unusual to go this long without getting a sharp frost and in the last 100 years there have only been three frost-free autumns .”

By Sue Austin and Anwen Evans