HOLIDAYMAKERS can come across out-of-the-ordinary events on their travels, as one man was recently reminded.

The last thing Mike Parsons expected to see floating close to luxury yachts in a Greek harbour during his fortnight break was a delivery truck.

“I nipped into the resort centre to get a few things from the shops when I saw a crowd gathering on the side of the port,” said Mike, 50, a sports editor for the Guardian series.

“Then I realised there was a lorry in the water and I must have only missed by minutes how it had ended up there.”

Mike watched events unfold for three hours, fascinated as to how the port authorities in Limenaria, on the North Aegean island of Thassos, would manage to return the vehicle to dry land.

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“Two local men in a small boat attached a rope to the lorry as it started to float towards some yachts that were moored up,” explained Mike.

“But the boat lacked the power and they were battling against the wind too.

Warrington Guardian:

The lorry in the bay

“Holidaymakers on another boat tried to help but as instructions were being shouted to them in Greek from two sides of the port it was difficult to work out their plan of action.

“I had to leave the scene but when I returned an hour later the lorry was still in the water and the assisting boats were nowhere to be seen.

“Soon after, a boat from the scuba diving centre and two divers became involved.

“Again ropes were attached and six men on the edge of the port almost played tug o’ war with the truck to bring it to the side wall.

“That was around lunchtime. When I returned to the resort centre for an evening meal the area was roped off and a crane was in place to lift the lorry back on to land.”

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Mike in Greece

Mike, who was staying at the Blue Dream Palace Hotel at Tripiti beach on the outskirts of Limenaria, added: “When you go on holiday to lovely places, you just don’t expect to come across drama like this.

“The journalist in me meant I was nosey to see how it all panned out.

“I’ve come across a few unexpected events in my time while on holiday, such as getting caught up in a tornado on the top of a Zakynthos mountain which was very frightening, but a lorry in the harbour is a first and the fact it didn’t sink made it all the more bizarre.”

Mike was told by a local man that the brakes had failed on the lorry but this is unconfirmed.

  •  Share with us your unusual holiday moments, from the past or from your getaway this summer. You can send video footage, pictures and a summary of what’s going on to newsdesk@guardiangrp.co.uk