Couple buy Boscastle victim a car

Barbara Upton is reunited with son John on Tuesday

A couple who helped a woman escape the Boscastle floods have replaced her wrecked car by selling their video footage to a TV news crew.

Patsy and Michael Burton, from Essex, came to Barbara Upton's assistance as she tried to find her family after their car was swept away.

The couple were paid £2,000 for the dramatic film - enough to buy the Uptons a car to return to Doncaster.

Mrs Upton has thanked the Burtons for their generosity.

It is not the sort of generosity I expect or deserve Barbara Upton

Mrs Burton said: "We saw the cars going down the road like a caterpillar in the torrent of water.

"The bridge walls collapsed and I could not film any more because people's lives and businesses were at risk."

Mr Burton said: "We found out Mrs Upton was on her own. She was soaked through so we took her back to the bed and breakfast with us."

Patsy Burton: Gift to flood victim Barbara, left

Mrs Upton stayed the night and was reunited with her family, including 14-year-old son John, the next morning at a Camelford leisure centre which was turned into a temporary home for those evacuated from Boscastle.

Mrs Burton said: "I just thought 'how can I help her?' and that night I thought it would be wonderful to sell the footage."

Mrs Upton, said: "I am quite overwhelmed because before yesterday I had not met these people.

"It is not the sort of generosity I expect or deserve.

"We are just ordinary people. They are very generous people."