A seven year-old boy was rescued after getting stuck in mud on Brean beach on Sunday (December 9th).
Coastguards from Burnham-On-Sea and Weston, plus two hovercraft from BARB Search & Rescue, were called to the beach near Brean Down at 11.46am to reach the boy who had become stranded while attempting to reach the sea.
BARB’s Spirit of Lelaina 2 hovercraft flew out to the boy with two Coastguard mud rescue technicans onboard.
The team was able to safely free him from the mud and he was taken onboard the hovercraft and flown back to the beach, much to the relief of his watching mother.
An ambulance was called as a precaution and the paramedics checked him over for signs of hypothermia but, despite being stuck for over 40 minutes, he was fortunately unhurt.
Mum Susie Roberts, who was visiting the beach with her son on a day trip from Bristol, said: “I am hugely grateful to the BARB hovercraft crew, the Coastguards, and the beach warden for their very fast response.”
“My son had run down the beach towards the sea and had unfortunately got stuck in a patch of very soft mud. I was so relieved that he was quickly rescued.”
A Burnham Coastguard spokesperson said the mother and son had got into difficulty while exploring the beach.
“They were having a great day exploring the beach and some of the pools that were left by the receding tide. Unfortunately, the hard sand that they had been having their adventures on was also home to soft patches that were ready to catch them out.”
“The young boy was able to travel further along the softer sand before becoming stuck. Mum had tried to reach him but as adults are heavier than children she was unable to get close enough to help him.”
“One of the most frightening things for any parent is the inability to reach their children when they need them most. She told him to sit down and spread his weight to avoid sinking any further and alerted the beach warden.”
“Immediately the Brean Beach Warden contacted our Coastguard Operations Centre who tasked our team along with Weston Coastguard Rescue Team and BARB Search & Rescue.”
“One Mud Technician from Burnham Coastguard and one from Weston Coastguard were kitted up in mud rescue suits and boarded the hovercraft.”
“The two techs quickly set about extracting the young lad who was a little cold but otherwise OK and we helped him onboard the hovercraft who flew him back to the Coastguards back on the beach. They took him up to the National Trust cafe to get warm while there was a short wait for an ambulance.”
“Once he was assessed for any signs of cold he was able to go home with a very relieved family. A timely reminder that the beach can change from hard standing to soft sinking in a matter of a few footsteps.”
