Sixteen people were rescued from rising water after four cars and a bus got stuck in high tide on The Strood crossing at Mersea Island.

Firefighters from West Mersea, Brightlingsea and Dovercourt were called at 12.52pm on Sunday.

The occupants of four cars were directed by fire crews, including a wading team, to the safety of the bus as the water rose to knee height.

All were driven away on board the bus when water levels began to recede

The RNLI was also in attendance as a precaution.

Watch manager Philip Stevens, of Brightlingsea fire station, urged people to take extra care when crossing The Strood or any flooded road, adding: “Driving into floodwater and hoping for the best is not a sensible option and is highly risky; by the time you find out the water is too deep, you are already trapped. Check to make sure the road is clear. If you can’t be sure, find an alternative route or wait for the water levels to drop.”