A MAN kept his brother alive inside their trapped car in a road side ditch by holding his head out of the water.

However the dramatic rescue story- which unfolded earlier today- has been given a new twist following the news that one of the brothers has been charged with drink driving.

Police confirmed Davidas Bernatonis, 29, of Southwell Rd Wisbech, will appear before Kings Lynn magistrates on January 21.

They are not able to confirm if he was the rescuer or the rescued brother.

Firefighters were able to release one brother who then acted as translator for the other as the emergency services were trying to establish how his legs were trapped.

“The girl was got out by two other boys,” said a neighbour.

Fire crews arrived to find the drama unfolding on the outskirts of Wisbech at around 1.20pm yesterday when the car went into a water filled dyke off Burrettgate Road.

Roy Harold, assistant chief fire officer for Norfolk, was driving on the nearby A47 when he heard the call come in.

He said: “I don’t normally go out on calls very much now, but I heard from the tone of voice of the crews out there that this was serious.

“I was nearby so I put the blue lights on and went over to help.”

Mr Harold said when he arrived a crew from Wisbech was already at the scene and trying to force open the doors of the saloon car.

“When they got the door open we saw two very white, very frightened faces upside-down looking at us,” he said.

“One man was holding the head of his brother above the water.”

Firefighters were able to release one brother who then acted as translator for the other as the emergency services were trying to establish how his legs were trapped.

“The two men were Eastern European and one of them was translating for us while we worked to establish what was trapped,” said Mr Harold.

The second man was released and both of were able to walk away from the crash.

“They were soaked through, freezing cold and we had to help them walk - but they were very, very lucky,” said Mr Harold.

Three fire crews were sent from Wisbech, Terrington St Clement and King’s Lynn.