AN elderly man had to be rescued from a ditch after his mobility scooter came off the road on a remote lane in Acaster Malbis.

Ian Mercer, from Bishopthorpe, said he had gone for a ride after work yesterday and was cycling along Intake Lane when he saw the man and his scooter in the ditch, and immediately rang emergency services.

"He was on a mobility scooter," he said.

"It was quite a deep ditch. I quickly stopped, made sure he was alright and rang the fire brigade and then there were four fire engines here.

"The ambulance got here first. I don't know if he was in shock but he was communicating.

"It is not often you see a mobility scooter in a ditch!"

A spokesman for North Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service said four crews attended the scene as it was reported as "a man trapped".

"A 92-year-old man was trapped under a mobility scooter in a ditch," he said.

"The crews used a rope and short extension ladder and crew power to release him.

"He was taken to hospital by ambulance."

Crews were mobilised from Acomb, York and Tadcaster including an incident support unit.