An air ambulance paramedic assisted in the rescue

On Sunday, a 45-year-old man was airlifted from Stanhope Ford after his car was swept away when he tried to cross the rain-swollen River Wear.

According to Durham County Council, closing the ford is an option.

But some local councillors say that if safety measures had been installed months ago, the expensive rescues could have been avoided.

'Silly people'

Bob Pendlebury, Durham County Council's cabinet member for environment and transport, says they will only look at closing the ford as a last resort.

He said: "We'll look at the various options to see if we can prevent silly people trying to get across while still allowing reasonable people to use it under the right circumstances.

"But if the emergency services say we've got to draw the line here, we may have no alternative but to close. I hope it doesn't come to that."

Harry Irwin, the chairman of Stanhope Parish Council, wants to see gates, with sensors which monitor water levels, to be installed at the ford.

He said: "The cost of the three rescues this year could have paid for these barriers.

"On record I've been critical of the rescue methods being used. I think there are more conventional and less expensive ways to do it.

"Sunday's rescue was also a risk to the helicopter and the paramedics. The stranded man was very near to the bank and could have been rescued by other means in my view.

"But it's a great tourist attraction and we want to keep it."