Silly season in Cornwall kicks off as car gets stuck on beach

The unofficial start of Cornwall's tourist season has kicked off. Not with the sun breaking through the clouds, but with the annual tradition of a vehicle getting stuck on a sandy beach.

A silver Subaru Forester that found itself lodged in the soft sands of Constantine Beach near Padstow, despite its all-wheel drive capabilities.

An eyewitness shared their account with CornwallLive, saying: "Silly season has started. I saw this car driving on Constantine Beach last night. No-one from the beach helped to get it out the sand, everyone just stood and watched because it shouldn't be on there anyway."

The incident unfolded at 8.46pm on Thursday (June 6), where attempts to free the trapped vehicle proved futile. A passenger was seen trying to clear sand with her foot to no avail, leading the driver to attempt rocking the car back and forth.

Footage available shows the car momentarily gaining traction before getting stuck, reports Cornwall Live.

The driver is seen in the video attempting to manoeuvre the car for a better launch out of the sand, only to find himself stuck once more. The spectacle drew the attention of passersby, with a couple looking on in confusion and a group of beachgoers observing from a nearby dune.

After about 20 minutes of struggle, the driver finally managed to free his vehicle. In the footage sent in by a reader, a woman can be seen standing outside the driver's window, seemingly engaged in a heated discussion with the driver, while bystanders provide commentary.

Our reader shared several videos of the incident. In one clip, a woman can be heard remarking: "Never a good idea to drive your car onto the beach."

Another observer chimes in with: "What a to**er." Some onlookers simply giggle, evidently finding amusement in the couple's predicament.

Eventually, the bearded male driver manages to turn the car around, revs the engine, and successfully drives off the sandy beach.

An onlooker commented: "He certainly got himself in a pickle and made entertainment for all to watch. The exit was a little bit inconsiderate, flying past near people who were casually sitting and enjoying their evening."

On this occasion, the vehicle escaped the incoming tide unscathed. There was no need for a rescue operation or a tractor to retrieve the car from the sand, and thankfully, no one was injured although someone's pride might have taken a knock.

But for those familiar with the area, this is just one of many instances where vehicles parked on beaches have faced a less fortunate outcome than this Subaru.

Time and again, we've reported on various vehicles, ranging from BMWs to DPD delivery vans, getting stuck in the sand or even being claimed by the sea. We've witnessed everything from tractors pulling out stranded vehicles to an ice-cream van tipping over on the beach, cars submerged by the tide, and the all-too-common sight of distraught owners with hands on hips, watching their vehicles succumb to the coastal elements.

Among these unfortunate incidents was even a Ferrari that got caught in the sand during a photoshoot.