|
Published:
April 5, 2008
Burnham
Coastguards
and hovercraft crews rescue trapped family
 Three
people were rescued at Brean on Saturday afternoon (April 5th)
after a high-performance vehicle became trapped on the mudflats.
A
team of Burnham-On-Sea Coastguards and crewmen from Burnham's
Spririt Of Lelaina hovercraft were called to the scene, next to
Brean Down, at 2.20pm after a man and two children - aged nine
and six - became trapped in their vehicle about 500m from the
beach.
BARB
Chairman Mark Newman said: "This incident once again underscores
the danger of venturing out onto the mudflats. Fortunately, the
Burnham hovercraft and Coastguards were quickly on the scene and
able to avoid any injuries. The three people were brought back
to the safety of the beach."
 The
driver of the vehicle - Ian Jackson from Small Heath in the West
Midlands (pictured) - said: "I was very relieved to see the
Burnham hovercraft and Coastguards arrive so quickly."
He
added: "We didn't realise how dangerous the mudflats can
be."
Brean's
beach warden had raised the alarm after spotting the family in
difficulty. He alerted Coastguards who, in turn, called on the
Burnham hovercraft.
BARB
is a Burnham-based charity that operates two rescue hovercrafts
and an inshore rescue boat. It is in operation 24 hours a day.
A
recovery operation to pull the vehicle free ahead of the incoming
tide succeeded later on Saturday afternoon when a commercial recovery
service pulled
the vehicle free.
The
Toyota off-road 4x4 became trapped in mud besides Brean Down.
Coastguards,
the Brean beach warden, and Burnham's Spirit Of Lelaina hovercraft
were quickly on scene.
The
vehicle was pulled free later on Saturday evening by a commericial
recovery service, as pictured here.
Photos
from Burnham-On-Sea.com, Dave Bailey and James
Packer.
Burnham-On-Sea
Hovercraft Web site
Burnham-On-Sea Coastguards Web site
|
