Aamechanic is rescued from muddy ditch

Fire chiefs have issued a safety warning after freeing an AAmechanic whowassinking in 10 feet of mud in a roadside ditch. The dramastic rescue happenedinthemiddleofthenight on a rural road on Monday.

And just two days later, fire crews had to pull a St Bernard dog to safety, after it also got stuck in the mud.

The AAmanhadgoneto the scene of a crash whichhadseen a car roll into a ditch earlier in the day off the A605, near to Goosetree Estate, Guyhirn.

Hewasmakingeffortstosecure the vehicle at 11pm, to ensureit couldberecoveredinthe morning.

But hebecametrapped, and started sinking in the mud, which was 10 feet deep.

Tony Raine, Crew CommanderatCambridgeshireFire and Rescue Service, said: “The man was trying to make the vehicle safe for the evening as it was going to be left in the ditch overnight.

“He went to the front of the vehicle, which was partially submerged, but when he got there the vehicle moved and he slipped into the water.

“Theweight of his ownbody pushed himinto the mudat the bottom of the dyke and he became stuck and had nothing to pull himself free on.

“Floating lines were put around him to stop him from sinking any further.

“We used a ladder to bridge thedykeandgivethemanaplatform to pull himself up on.

“Wewouldalwayswarnpeople to not go into or walk along the edge of slippery ditches.

“It may look fairly safe but you do not know what is at the bottom and at the moment many ditches are water- filled and very deep.

“They are a hazard and you may get stuck very easily.” A spokesman for The AA said hecouldnot commentonthe individual incident.

But he added: “Any situation like that is always dangerous, because you do not know how deep the water is. “

On Wednesday the St Bernard became stuck in a ditch in Lambs Hill Drove, March at 12.55pm.

The owner had it on a lead but could not physically lift the dog out of the ditch andsoit became stuck.

Fire crews managed to pull the animal to safety.