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Last night X Factor star Carl Pemberton cheated death after he almost drowned while trying to escape from his sinking sports car.
The drama happened at 7pm last night as the pop star, from Coulby Newham in Middlesbrough, was heading home.
As he crossed a normally safe ford in nearby Nunthorpe - then dangerously swollen by rainwater - the car's engine cut out.
Before the singer knew what was happening, water started pouring into the Vauxhall Astra Twin Top.
He crawled out of the immersed coupe and headed straight for the bank and safety. However, he slipped and was knocked underwater, pulled downstream by the strong currents.
After being swept along by the freezing water for five minutes, and just when he thought he could not hang on any longer, the 25-year-old managed to grab hold of a small footbridge.
Struggling from the effects of the cold water, he found the strength to pull himself out of the stream before heading towards a local riding centre. From there he was taken to a hospital in Middlesbrough for a check-up.
Although Pemberton was thoroughly shaken, he managed to escape with just a few cuts and bruises.
"It sends a shiver down my spine when I think about what could have happened," he said.
"When I was in the water, I really thought that this was how it was going to end."
Journey South shot to fame after reaching the finals of last year's X Factor and since have released a self-titled debut album, which reached number one.
