Published: April 26, 2010
New safety warning after holidaymakers get stuck on Burnham beach

The owners of this vehicle got a sinking feeling when their car became stranded on Burnham-On-Sea beach on Monday evening (April 26th) on the first night of their family holiday.

The family, from Wolverhampton, were on their way to nearby Brean to book in at Pontins holiday camp when they took a detour to launch their jet ski from Burnham beach.

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Their Ford Mondeo Estate's wheels sank into the soft sand and mud next to the town's jetty at 5.20pm and the incoming tide quickly engulfed it.

Burnham Coastguards and rescue charity BARB were called to the scene to check on the safety of the vehicle's owners, but nothing could be done to save the vehicle due to the state of the 10.5m tide, which peaked at 6.15pm.

BARB's tractor was used to pull the stricken vehicle out of the soft sand once the tide had receded - in return for a donation to the charity to cover its costs.

The incident prompted a fresh warning about the danger of driving on certain parts of the beach in the Burnham area.

BARB spokesman Dave Bailey told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "The car's owners were on their way to Pontins holiday camp in Brean and were understandably distressed at what was happening to their car."

"We urge motorists to check the tide times and heights, and avoid driving near soft sand or mud, if they intend to drive onto the beach. Vehicles often get stuck on beaches in the Burnham area several times a year."

BARB's tractor was called to help pull the vehicle off the beach in return for a donation to the charity