A mission to rescue a Ford Fiesta which plunged 650ft down a remote moorland ravine descended into farce – when the Land Rover Discovery being used to winch out the abandoned car got stuck in the mud.

An Examiner reader took pictures of the failed rescue bid yesterday evening (Thurs) – which also involved a six-wheeled ex-military vehicle and an 18-tonne Scania recovery wagon with a crane attached.

He said the anonymous rescuers had managed to retrieve the red Fiesta, but abandoned their efforts to free the Land Rover Discovery as night approached. He said the group would probably be back this evening (Fri) to make another attempt to free the 4x4 from the mud.

A woman driver was treated for injuries after the Fiesta crashed through a fence on New Hey Road at Scammonden and plunged 650ft down the ravine. A huge rescue operation was launched involving firefighters, police, air ambulance and Holme Valley Mountain Rescue.

However, six weeks later the stricken Fiesta was still stuck down the steep banking.

The reader, who asked not to be named, said yesterday (Thurs): “This car has remained on the moor slowly getting stripped of parts for the last six weeks for some reason.

“This evening I came across three vehicles, one an 18-tonne Scania recovery wagon with a crane attached. This was dragging a six-wheel ex military vehicle with winches front and rear that was bellied on the moor at a right angle to the road.

“This had got stuck attempting to recover a Land Rover Discovery 4x4 that is stuck in a worse position than the red Ford that they had gone to recover.

“They had got the Ford out earlier. There are plastic parts littered up the moor but they have now managed to end up with the 4x4 well and truly stuck. There are broken winch ropes, chains and slings still there. They have been trying to winch the 4x4 forward on to firmer ground using boulders as an anchor. The 4x4 has a winch on the front that is still attached to the boulders.

“As I arrived at 7pm they were recovering the large military truck which they winched onto the 18 -tonne Scania truck and took away. They are planning on going back to carry on with the aborted recovery of the bogged 4x4.

“They told me that they had gone down with the 4x4 but I would guess that they have ended up down there accidentally while recovering the Ford.”