Firemen try and locate car which plunged into river in Egham

The recent snow thaw caused very fast flow of water and by the time the crews arrived on the banks of the river there was no sign of the vehicle.

Fireman from White Watch, Egham, Peter Amiss said the firemen all spread down the banks of the river to try and locate the car, but were ultimately unsuccessful.

He said: "It was first reported to us around 11.35pm that someone was in the car, then later reported that no one was in it.

"We were told it had gone in with the lights on and floated downstream towards Penton Hook Weir.

"But when we got to Truss's Island we could not even see the car. The river is running so high it could be anywhere.

"We searched up and down the river bank for about two hours along with the crew from Staines."

Officers from Surrey Police carried out a thorough search of the surrounding area, including despatching the force helicopter to search the river using its high-tech equipment.

A police spokesman said officers were continuing to carry out an extensive investigation to establish the exact circumstances of the incident, as it is still unclear as to how the car ended up entering the water. It is also working closely with a number of partner agencies, including the Environment Agency, to locate and remove the vehicle from the river.

Residents from Chertsey Lane, immediately opposite Truss's Island, were unaware of the drama unfolding just yards from their front doors. Speaking on Tuesday, one resident said: "I didn't see a thing, I did hear the police helicopter hovering but didn't think anything of it."

Anyone who witnessed the incident or with any information should call Surrey Police on 0845 125 2222, quoting reference SL/10/441, or call Crimestoppers in confidence on 0800 555 111.