POLICE have named the man who died after he was swept down the River Kent in Kendal clinging onto the bonnet of his car.

Emergency services were called to Aynam Road in Kendal on Monday afternoon after receiving reports that a car had been swept down the river, along with an older man.

A search operation was then launched involving police, firefighters, mountain rescue teams, coastal search and rescue, and the coastguard, including helicopters. 

On Wednesday morning, Cumbria Police has identified the man as Charles Maurice Mercer, 86, of Cartmel.

At around 3.45pm on Monday, his green Suzuki Jimny left the road, mounted the kerb and collided through barriers into the River Kent.

The river was swollen and fast flowing following heavy rainfall and his vehicle was swept downstream.

The vehicle was submerged and despite an extensive multi-agency search, Mr Mercer and his vehicle could not be located that night.

His vehicle was sighted downstream in the river the next morning, off Natland Road, and the body of Mr Mercer was discovered a short time later, a further distance downstream, near Scrogg’s Wood.

A police investigation into the incident is under way, led by the Kendal Mobile Support Group. Witnesses to the incident are asked to contact Cumbria Police on 101.

At the time, police warned the public not to search themselves because of "the extreme dangers of the condition of the banks and the rising river".

Conrad Leather, a station manager with Cumbria Fire and Rescue, said the conditions were "unbelievable". 

He said: "We got a call just before 4pm, there had been an incident where a car ended up in the river after we believe the driver was trying to avoid a collision on the road. 

"The car, with the man inside, ended up in a very swollen River Kent. There were a number of eye witnesses who reported seeing the car and the man make their way down the river; the car was quick quickly washed downstream because of the conditions. 

"The man was last seen clinging onto the bonnet of his car, thinking that was the safest thing to do."

A woman who was involved in the incident has since spoken out about her ordeal.

The woman, who did not wish to be identified, said she has been "extremely traumatised" by the incident. 

Having stopped at the zebra crossing to let a pedestrian and a cyclist pass, the woman caught sight of the car behind her hurtling towards her before veering off to the right, into the green planters and through three sets of railings. 

Thankful that the his actions may have saved her life, the woman has spoken out in respect of the man who swerved to miss her car. 

She said: "I have an empathy that will be life-long. Instead of crashing into the back of my car, which could have killed me, he decided to swerve and avoid me. I'm eternally grateful to him."