Mr Walker managed to keep his van's engine running overnight

Lee Walker was on his way home on Wednesday evening after attending a breakdown when his van became stuck on a minor road near Rosedale Abbey.

An RAF helicopter was scrambled but could not get close to the mechanic.

Mr Walker was found at dawn on Thursday by a mountain rescue team from RAF Leeming with help from a local farmer.

Flt Lt David King said they would not have been able to find Mr Walker if it had not been for farmer Robert Dring who used a digger to cut a path to the stranded mechanic.

Just to see that faint flashing beam on his roof coming over the horizon towards me was a total relief Lee Walker

He said: "The conditions were really bad with drifting snow ranging from ankle to head-deep.

"We would have had to walk through that to get to the van but with Mr Dring's help we were able to follow his JCB with our Land Rover."

Mr Walker managed to keep his engine running but had got cold walking to the top of the nearest hill to keep in contact with the police every hour on his mobile phone.

Mr Dring, from Hartoft, said: "It was hard to see where the road was and it was only by following previous snow plough tracks that weren't covered by the drifts that I could make my way up to him."

Lee Walker has worked for the RAC for two years

At his home near Malton, North Yorkshire on Thursday, Mr Walker, 33, said the conditions were the worst he had ever seen.

"It was incredible. It was like being in a wind tunnel with 70mph winds - no gusts, just constant," he told BBC News.

"And the drifts just kept growing and growing."

But he knew rescue was at hand when he saw Mr Dring's tractor approaching.

"Just to see that faint flashing beam on his roof coming over the horizon towards me was a total relief."