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Newmachar incident one of many throughout shire in wake of storm Word by gillian bell

A north-east man said last night he “owed his life” to three council workers who pulled him out of his Land Rover as it sank in fast-rising floodwater.

The rescue near Newmachar was one of several dramas across Aberdeenshire as torrential rain brought chaos to the region and neighbouring Angus and Moray.

Schools were closed as rivers burst their banks, leaving many roads unpassable, and police warned motorists to stay at home unless their journeys were necessary.

A woman was critically ill in hospital in Aberdeen after a lamp standard smashed through her car when it crashed on the outskirts.

Hundreds of homes in Moray were evacuated and one couple watched as their home, business and cars were wrecked by a deluge of water. A mother and her three children had to be rescued from their car on Tayside after getting stranded when a burn burst its banks.

Mark Kane, 33, was driving near Newmachar when his Land Rover went over the verge and into a burn.

As the vehicle was swept towards Swailend Bridge, with Mr Kane frantically trying to escape, Abbie Largue, who had seen the drama from his council van, climbed on top and pulled him out through the half-open window.

His two colleagues reached out to the pair and helped them on to dry land then all watched in horror as the 4x4 sank and jammed underneath the bridge.

Mr Kane, of Newmachar, said he would probably have gone under with his car but for his rescuers’ quick actions. He added: “I was very lucky that they were there to help me. I’m so grateful.”

Mr Largue, 48, of North Pitglassie, Auchterless, John Simpson, 25, of Lonach Crescent, Rothiemay, and Ian Stewart, 60, of Denspark Farm, also Rothiemay, are all members of Aberdeenshire Council’s roads team based at Inverurie.

Mr Largue said they shouted to Mr Kane to get out but realised the water had damaged the land Rover’s electrics, slowing down the mechanism for opening the window.

He said he stepped in when it became obvious Mr Kane needed help – but insisted he was “no hero”.

“If it hadn’t been for the other boys being there I would never have been able to pull him out, not with the force of the water,” he said.

“It’s a case of the right place, right time.”

Elsewhere in Aberdeenshire the torrential rain caused rivers and burns to burst their banks, making roads impassable.

One of the worst-affected areas was Huntly where the River Deveron overflowed.

A stretch of the A96

Aberdeen-Inverness road was closed in both directions between the Huntly roundabout and the Tesco supermarket. The A920 Huntly- Dufftown road was also closed between the A96 and the Edinglass junction.

Police were forced to issue a warning after drivers around Huntly, despite the obvious dangers, were seen steering round signs warning that roads were closed.

Gartly School and Glass School, both near Huntly, were closed because of flooding on the roads.

Strathdon School and Turriff Academy were also partially shut due to the cancellation of some school transport.

In Inverurie the River Ury also overflowed, leaving water pouring on to the flood plain and setting bales of hay afloat.

Organisers of the Braemar Gathering said the ground had not been affected and all events will go ahead as planned today. But the Junior Highland Games due to take place tomorrow at Crathes Castle have been cancelled after parts of the estate suffered flooding.

Organisers hope to reschedule the event during the school holidays in October.

The heavy rainfall is not expected to have any impact on the Offshore Europe oil show which opens at Aberdeen Exhibition and Conference Centre on Tuesday and will attract thousands of delegates from throughout the UK and the rest of the world.

A spokesman for the event said yesterday that some water had dripped through the roof of one of the pavilions on Thursday night.

He added: “That caused a few minor puddles on the carpet but that was the extent of any damage in the exhibition area.

“There has also been some standing water in one of the more distant car parks.”

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