A van was swept from a ford into a nearby river prompting a large recovery operation.

It came on a busy evening for Norfolk's emergency services yesterday (Thursday), with several people treated by the ambulance service after road accidents.

The driver of the van managed to get out of his vehicle before it was swept from Shotesham Ford into the nearby River Tas, around five miles south of Norwich.

He was helped by onlookers before fire crews from Carrow, Earlham, and Sprowston fire stations and breakdown services were called.

They used a winch to recover the van, said Tom Diaper, crew manager at Carrow Fire Station.

The incident happened at about 4.50pm.

Later, fire crews used heavy rescue equipment to free one person from a vehicle on Yarmouth Road, North Walsham at 5.49pm.

And appliances from Attleborough and Wymondham fire stations helped another person out of their vehicle after a collision on Attleborough Road, Great Ellingham, at 6.37pm. The person was treated by ambulance staff.

Meanwhile, a male was treated by ambulance staff after a car veered off the A149 in Wells and into a field around 9.30pm.