Burnham-On-Sea Coastguards waded through waist-deep mud to reach a man stuck in the River Brue estuary on Tuesday afternoon (November 1st).
a Burnham RNLI lifeboat, police and BARB were called to the scene, near Highbridge’s Apex Wildlife Park, at 4pm.
Members of the Burnham Coastguard Mud Rescue Team waded out to reach the man, who was in a distressed state at the water’s edge, before a lifeboat took him onboard and took him to a waiting ambulance.
Coastguard Ian Jefferies told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Several members of our mud rescue team were deployed to reach the man and ensure his safety before the lifeboat arrived and took him onboard.”
“The muddy river banks of the Brue are treacherous and people should always stay well clear.”
An RNLI spokesman added: “The RNLI Lifeboat Puffin was launched and, aided by the incoming tide, proceeded to the River Brue. Once in the Brue, the tidal flow had not quite reached the lower reaches so the crew of Puffin were forced to navigate the meagre downward fresh water flow, eventually reaching the casualty who was by that time extremely cold.”
“The lifeboat crew then proceeded back down the Brue, returning to the beach at Burnham jetty, with haste, since the man was semi-conscious and in a medically poor state. On arrival at the jetty the man was handed over to paramedics.”
The man was showing signs of hypothermia, having been in the mud in for some time, and was taken by ambulance to Weston General Hospital for treatment.
The police helicopter also hovered overhead during the incident, monitoring the situation. It was not clear why the man had entered the mud on the river bank.
Pictured: Top, A Burnham Coastguard wading through the mud to reach the stranded man in the river estuary on Tuesday afternoon, watched by police helicopter and, below, several police officers
