Three men hurt after their Land Rover rolls 600ft down hill sparking huge rescue operation Coastguard helicopter, 21 firefighters and hazardous rescue experts called Driver, from Brighton, taken to hospital with serious injuries and broken leg Two passengers escaped with minor injuries after plunge in South Downs A man had to be rescued by the coastguard after the 4x4 he was driving rolled down a steep hill, leaving him seriously injured and trapped in his vehicle. The 26-year-old was driving a Land Rover along a bridleway at the top of a grassy hill in the South Downs in Sussex at around 6pm last night when he lost control of the vehicle. A massive rescue operation was launched including the coastguard helicopter, 21 firefighters, police, ambulance and specialist rescue experts, who spent an hour and a half working to free the driver and two passengers from the remote spot in driving rain. The Land Rover plunged several hundred feet down the steep hill near Fulking after the driver lost control The accident happened in remote countryside in Sussex's South Downs at 6pm last night Emergency workers said the occupants were lucky to get out of the vehicle alive after it tumbled down the hill near Fulking and hit a tree on the raised grass bank at the bottom. Photographer Eddie Mitchell, who took these photographs showing the aftermath of the accident, said: 'The emergency services were working in atrocious conditions - it had been raining and was misty and foggy - there was practically zero visibility which can't have helped the driver. 'They all did an astonishing job working to get the young men out from a very remote spot.'As well as police, fire and ambulance personnel, the coastguard helicopter attended, as did staff from HART - the Hazardous Area Rescue Team - and officers from the West Sussex Fire Service Specialist Technical Rescue Service. A South Downs National Park Authority spokesperson said the website www.pathwatch.info gave more information on driving off-road in Sussex. He said: 'Motorised vehicles are only allowed on Byways Open to All Traffic and carriageways. It is illegal to drive a vehicle on a bridleway. Teams of expert rescue workers were summoned and spent an hour and a half getting the male driver out The coastguard helicopter was called to the remote spot and airlifted the driver and his passengers to hospital Emergency workers had to cut the badly damaged Land Rover's roof off to get the driver out The old-style G-registration Land Rover left tracks in the wet grass after it tumbled 600 fit down the steep hill The man, who police say is from Brighton, was taken to Royal Sussex County Hospital suffering from serious but not life-threatening injuries, including a broken leg. Two male passengers were also airlifted to hospital with the driver and suffered minor injuries. Sussex Police are appealing for any witnesses to the incident or to anyone who saw the old-style Land Rover with a G-registration plate driving on the Downs beforehand - to call them on 101.