Crowds gathered to watch the drama as a Range Rover became submerged in the sea at Felixstowe in Suffolk this weekend – but people are still puzzled about how it got there.
Dozens of revellers heading to the resort's annual carnival captured video footage and photographs of the vehicle, which appeared to get stuck in sand after appearing on the beach following Friday's storm.
Mystery continues to surround the unusual discovery and police are still unsure about how the vehicle got there. They taped off the area on Saturday night, but said no arrests had been made in connection with the incident.
People living nearby said they had heard reports the vehicle was involved in retrieving jet skis from the sea. However, such reports have not yet been confirmed by the authorities.
Readers took to social media to express their bewilderment.
One wrote: 'I am honestly so puzzled about how this happened. I've seen so many people out watching today.'
Emergency services had rushed to the scene, near the town's pier, after shop workers raised the alarm on Friday evening.
They said a woman, believed to be the owner of the 4x4, had come in and told them she was having difficulties. Police sent a recovery car to the scene at around 10pm but the operation was unsuccessful. No-one is believed to have been hurt in the incident.
More pictures emerged of the beached Range Rover on Saturday morning and throughout the afternoon repeated efforts were made to recover the stricken vehicle. However, witnesses said vehicles dispatched to retrieve the 4x4 from the sea were also getting stuck on the beach.
One, who saw the drama unfold, said: 'One police officer on the scene said the car had been submerged in the water twice for two high tides.
'It certainly attracted quite an audience all around.'
Video footage taken by those at the scene shows teams trying to move one of the rescue vans after it appeared to become stuck.
Despite the setback, the Range Rover was eventually hauled out of the water and dragged onto the beach successfully. It appeared to have suffered some structural damage, with its front bumper smashed. People who came to watch cheered as the teams – who they said were working hard in warm temperatures – managed to pull the vehicle clear of the water.
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