Warning after woman gets stuck in mud on beach

THE Coastguard is warning people to stay away from sinking mud on Weston-super-Mare coast - after a woman got stuck and had to be plucked to safety.

Weston-super-Mare Coastguard Rescue Team was called out earlier this month after a woman became stuck in the mud on the shoreline near Knightstone Island.

The woman had walked out to the water at low tide for a swim, but quickly became exhausted trying to make her way back to safety.

Luckily for the woman, two men who spotted her in trouble had run to her aid, freeing her from the mud by the time coastguards arrived.

The woman, who was diabetic, was checked over by coastguards and given words of advice.

Coastguard teams are urging people to follow the advice on the warning signs on the sands highlighting the dangers of the sinking mud as the summer season gets in full swing.

Weston Coastguard Rescue Team spokesman Jeff Gunton said: “People come to the beach and want to go for a swim.

“What ends up happening often is that they walk out to the shore line – sometimes a mile out – traipsing through the thick mud to get there.

“They do not realise how exhausting walking through this mud can be. The tide turns extremely quickly, more quickly often than people can make their way back to the shore line through the mud, and this is where they run into trouble.

“The mud is extremely sticky, gloopy and dangerous and once you’re in it, it’s difficult to get out.”

Mr Gunton described finding people stuck in the mud akin to a ‘zombie apocalypse.’

“They are literally covered head to toe in sludge and struggling to get out,” he said.

“The warning signs are there for a reason.”