A Paget man became the centre of attention on his birthday -- but not in the way he anticipated.

After falling asleep at the wheel, Hilton Wolfe found himself floating in a car in the water off Flatts Inlet during the early hours of the morning yesterday.

The car, a white Hyundai Accent, was travelling west toward Flatts Bridge around 6.45 a.m. when the mishap occurred.

The family car crashed through the barrier and went plunging into the waters of the inlet. It was totally written off.

An unhurt Mr. Wolfe, who turned 19 yesterday, was able to remove himself from the vehicle before it became completely submerged in the water.

But it took a rescue crew of Police and staff from Lawrence Marine Ltd. some two hours to retrieve the vehicle from the waters.

No other vehicles where reported to have been involved in the incident.

Mr. Wolfe explained that he had been on his way home from St. George's after taking a friend home from a school prom.

"I was trapped underwater with nowhere to go,'' he told The Royal Gazette of the frightening experience.

Because of the water rushing into the car, Mr. Wolfe had to hold his breath.

Yet somehow he managed to pull the passenger's side window down and escape.

But after rising to the surface, he was soon caught in the strong current under the bridge along with the car.

Eventually he made it to shore.

"I couldn't just leave,'' he explained. "I had to wait to let the Police know what happened.'' Police spokesman P.c. Alan Oliver said: "Prosecution is not intended at this stage.'' But Mr. Wolfe will most likely have to pay for the damages which were caused to the bridge and use of the crane which was brought to the site to help.

As a result of the harrowing experience, Mr. Wolfe gave thanks to God.

"Without God I would have never made it,'' he said.

Co-chairman of the Flatts Development Committee, W.A. (Toppy) Cowen, highlighted the dangers of having motorists in the area.

"The incident could have been a catastrophe with loss of life,'' he pointed out.

Mr. Cowen also noted that the area where the car went off the bridge is a frequented bus layby where many people wait for the bus.

Mr. Cowen pointed to the fact that four new road signs had been placed on the outskirts of the village to encourage drivers to "slow down''.

He said: "The bridge is unattractive and has some corrosion on the underside.

We do hope this opportunity will cause some refinement to Bermuda's oldest bridge site during the necessary repairs.'' "The Flatts Development committee is working with residents, businesses and four Government Ministries to encourage traffic calming and various other safety issues which apply to the immediate area,'' he added.

"Concerned citizens are invited to contact us.'' Photos by Tony Cordeiro The deep blue sea: Police pull a Hyundai car out of the waters of Flatts Inlet yesterday. The car's driver found himself in the inlet in the early hours of yesterday morning after faling asleep at the wheel. The car veered off Flatts Bridge and was then pulled up the inlet by the current. The driver escaped without major injuries.