Teen motorist on seaside daytrip parks car on beach - and returns to find it submerged by 3ft tide

A teenage motorist who parked his car on the beach during this weekend's heatwave returned to find his vehicle submerged in three feet of water.

Andy Laird, 19, parked up his Vauxhall Corsa on the beach in the popular coastal town of Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, on Saturday afternoon.

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He then walked up to the nearby Brean Down to enjoy a bite to eat and a drink with his family in the scorching temperatures.

But the teen returned to the beach at 5pm to find his beloved motor had been swamped by 3ft of water from the incoming tide.

Video footage taken by local rescue charity Burnham Area Rescue Boat (BARB) shows four members of Andy's bewildered family wandering around the stranded vehicle - which is 50ft (15m) from the shore.

Andy's grey car, which was submerged to the top of all four wheels, was eventually rescued an hour later thanks to beach wardens and a team from BARB.

Red-faced Andy, who lives in Walsall, West Mids, said: 'I was up on the Down enjoying a picnic and forgot about the tide coming in.

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'It was a shock to come back and find the car had been surrounded by the sea.

'I am grateful to BARB and the beach warden for their help.'

Hugh Lewis, 40, who owns a stall on the Burham sea-front said locals were left stunned by the unusual sight.

He said: 'We could see the tide coming in and we just waited for the worst to happen.'

The embarrassing incident has prompted a warning to visitors to check tide times before driving onto beaches.

BARB spokesman Mark Newman said: 'We always advise motorists to check the tide times before driving onto our local beaches and to heed warning signs and not take unnecessary risks.

'We have a wonderful coastline that can be safely enjoyed by holidaymakers and locals alike if used sensibly.'