Last updated 12:01, Saturday, 07 June 2008

A SPORTS car was swept out to sea after the owner left it on the beach at Ravenglass.

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Mark Pearce, 50, had parked his Saab 9-3 Viggen convertible outside Esk View House, which he is renovating.

But the tide came in earlier than he expected, and he was unable to get to the vehicle in time.

The graphic designer, who came up with the Vodafone logo, recalled Wednesday’s drama.

“I had parked the car on the beach and then the tide came in,” he explained. “I couldn’t get the car into the drive because there was someone else parked there. So I parked on the beach.

“I got busy and distracted, because I am doing my house up. But I couldn’t get to the car in time before the tide came in. There was nothing we could do about it until the tide went.”

He and a friend phoned the RAC to try and retrieve the car in the afternoon.

He bought the Saab new in 1997 and it was obviously well cared for before its marine encounter.

The coastguard and police were informed. Coastguard watch manager Paul Parkes said: “People shouldn’t park their cars below the high water mark.

“They should find out before they park how high the tide comes in, otherwise they will be surrounded by water.”