BMW owner watches helplessly as car is swept into Thames by freak tidal surge following heavy rain

James Roycroft-Davis, 25, could only watch as his BMW Z4 floated away. (SWNS)
James Roycroft-Davis, 25, could only watch as his BMW Z4 floated away. (SWNS)

A man watched in dismay as his prized BMW car was sept into the Thames in London following a tidal surge along the river’s banks.

James Roycroft-Davis, a 25-year-old business owner, could only watch helplessly as his BMW Z4 floated away.

He had visited Putney in southwest London on Wednesday to see his girlfriend at about 2pm.

But when he came back to where he parked the car at around 4.30pm, it was missing.

A BMW owner watched helpless as his prized car he had parked by the Thames was swept away by a freak tidal surge following heavy rain.See National News story NNbmw. James Roycroft-Davis, a 25-year-old business owner, could only watch aghast as his BMW Z4 floated away. He managed to recover it later that day but says the car is a "total write-off". James said he had visited Putney in southwest London on Wednesday to see his girlfriend at about 2pm, and came back to where he parked the car around 4.30pm to find it missing.
James said he had visited Putney in southwest London on Wednesday to see his girlfriend at about 2pm, and came back to where he parked the car around 4.30pm to find it missing. (SWNS)

Also in the car, that cost him £5,000, was a Barbour jacket, a jumper from Topman, and Asics running shoes, costing around £200 in total.

The dismayed man then saw his car floating down the river. He managed to recover the car later that same day, but says it is a “total write-off”.

Mr Roycroft-Davis said: “When I came back it was high tide, a couple of blokes were laughing, saying, “see that car floating down the Thames”, and I went, “oh wait that’s my car”.

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“There was not much we could do. We thought, let’s see where it sinks. It sank about 50 metres away. We had to wait until about 11pm when it was low tide to try and retrieve it.

“It is a total write-off. We are hoping the insurers will pay out but we doubt they will.”

The car owner also said he had paid for insurance the day before the accident - and stressed the debacle was not an insurance scam.

The business manager was able to recover the BMW later that day - but says his beloved car is a 'total write-off. (SWNS)
The business manager was able to recover the BMW later that day - but says his beloved car is a 'total write-off. (SWNS)

“I’m trying to cope with the idea that I’ve just lost upwards of £5,000. In a way, the only thing you can do is laugh. There has been a lot of people taking pictures as it floated down the river. It is quite funny,” he continued.

Storm Ciara brought a month and a half’s rainfall in just 24 hours in some areas of the county.

Some parts of Britain experienced 97mph winds and flooding that left more than 20,000 people without power.

And further downpours are also expected with the arrival of Storm Dennis, with 35 flood warnings in place across the UK.

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