A couple of miscreants found themselves victims of extreme weather conditions in North Carolina recently, as they attempted to elude police on foot following a car chase. In an ultimately futile attempt at escape, Kevin Chawlk, 17, and Richard Neri, 20, became mired in a rather mucky lake after just 400 metres in near freezing temperatures.

After losing their shoes they soon became reliant on their pursuers for their very lives as they swiftly sank into High Rock Lake. Despite being the middle of winter, one of the two lake dwellers was garbed in nothing more than a T-shirt and shorts.

Rescuers worked for three hours to get the men out.

“They’d have died if we hadn’t found them,” said Sgt. James Schmierer of East Spencer police. “A couple of idiots is what they are.”

Police began chasing the men in their car after they were clocked at 67 mph (about 107 km/h) in a 45 mph (72 km/h) zone, authorities said. The car eventually crashed into a tree and the men jumped out and ran into the woods.

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Neri was charged with driving with a revoked licence and fleeing to elude arrest. He was jailed on US$15,000 ($19,600) bail after being treated at a hospital. Chawlk was not charged.