ACTOR and comedian Steve Coogan has described how he spent the night in his car in the aftermath of Storm Desmond. 

Coogan was driving near Thirlmere lake during a trip to Coniston in Cumbria when he became trapped. With no signal on his phone he was forced to sleep in his car - with just his dog for company. 

He told BBC Breakfast: "I went down the back of Thirlmere lake and got stuck on a landslide there. I was trying to drive past it in this four wheel drive because the other roads were blocked. 

"And I got stuck at midnight and there was no signal on my phone and I had to spend the night there." 

"Fortunately I had my dog with me, so he kept me company", he added. 

"And I'd been to the shops, so I survived 'Bear Grylls' style on nuts and berries - but I bought them at Marks and Spencer." 

The Alan Partridge star later managed to get signal and call a friend for help, but the rescue was slowed when his friend's vehicle also became stuck. 

Coogan said: "We had to dig him out, and then he tied a rope around my car and pulled me out, and then we escaped."