EMERGENCY services were called after a delivery van driver got into difficulties while trying to cross a river ford in County Durham.
The incident happened at the Westgate ford, in Weardale, this evening.
County Durham Fire and Rescue Service was called to the incident at 5pm following reports that a van was in difficulty.
A spokesman for Stanhope fire station said one man was rescued from the scene.
He was taken to the University Hospital in Durham.
There were eye-witness reports that a Morrisons delivery van had turned on its side after trying to cross the river, which is flowing fast because of heavy rain.
Scott Bisset, a local mountain rescue team member, was called by someone who heard the driver shouting for help.
Describing the incident as "dramatic", he said the driver of the vehicle was distressed and panicking.
He said: "The river was in speight and very fast flowing.
"He was probably following satnav, but should never have attempted to cross the ford. At least a dozen emergency vehicles in attendance."
A specialist water rescue team from the fire and rescue service used ropes and raft to bring him to safety.
The rescue operation took about an hour.
Durham Police and the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) also attended.
A spokesperson for NEAS said: "We were called at 5.14pm this evening to reports of an incident at Westgate.
"We dispatched a double crewed ambulance and transported one patient to the University Hospital of North Durham."
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