THESE pictures show how the emergency services rescued a motorist after his car plunged 40ft down an embankment into a river.

The man managed to get out of his Skoda, which had left the M27 westbound carriageway between junctions three for Southampton and two at Ower, as it started to fill up with water and scrambled to the riverbank.

However, he found himself on the other side of the river furthest from the motorway.

By this point because he was cold, in shock and injured so was unable to get himself back across to the other side where emergency services, including the ambulance service's Hazardous Area Response Team and police, were waiting.

The car ended up wedged between two sides of the four feet deep river.

One lane of the motorway was shut while emergency crews dealt with the incident, at around 2.15pm on.

An all terrain vehicle from South Central Ambulance Service also called to the scene was able to reach the man by approaching him from the other side through a farmer's field.

The injured man was taken to Southampton General Hospital, with his condition described as stable.

Six fire engines attended from Redbridge, Totton, St Mary's, Gosport and Cosham.