|
Burnham
Hovercraft Home Page > Burnham Hovercraft
News Archive
January
2, 2006
Dog
walker rescued after getting trapped in waist-deep mud at Brean
Burnham-On-Sea's
Coastguard and hovercraft rescue teams saved a man trapped waist-deep
in treacherous mud at Brean on Bank Holiday Monday January 2nd.
 In
the first rescue of the new year, Ian Makepeace, from Evesham,
had to be dug out of the mud after trying to retrieve one of his
pet dogs when it ran off during an afternoon walk.
Mr
Makepeace followed the dog out onto the mudflats 100 metres from
the high tide point when he suddenly sank waist-deep and was unable
to move. His wife, Sue, who herself briefly encountered difficulties
in the mud, freed herself and dialled 999 on a mobile phone to
call for help.
The
Coastguard Mud Rescue team from Burnham-On-Sea was alerted and,
using specialised rescue equipment, they waded out to free the
man and his pet.
"The
casualty was stuck deep in the mud and it took almost 15 minutes
to dig him out," said Burnham Coastguard station officer
Steve Bird. "He was firmly trapped and needed our help."
Burnham's
Spirit Of Lelaina hovercraft flew to the scene with two pilots
onboard and both the man and his dog were lifted onboard before
being taken back to the safety of the dry sand.
Mr
Makepeace, who was very cold and fatigued, was checked over by
a paramedic at the scene, before he and the dog were released
unharmed.
Mr
Makepeace and his wife had been walking a group of around a dozen
dogs along the beach when the incident unfolded.
"With
a fast incoming tide, we didn't have a great deal of time to rescue
him," said Alan Miller, chairman of BARB, the group that
runs the hovercraft.
 He
added: "Mr Makepeace was very apologetic and said he was
grateful for our assistance."
Coastguard
officer Mr Bird said it had been "a text-book rescue which
again demonstrated how closely Burnham’s Coastguard and hovercraft
teams work together."
The
Burnham hovercraft is named after five year-old Lelaina Hall,
who tragically lost her life in the mud at nearby Berrow in 2002
– just two miles from the scene of today’s incident.
The
Western Daily Press launched a successful fundraising campaign
soon after the tragedy when its readers donated £115,000
to buy the fully-equipped hovercraft. During
its first 18 months of operation, the hovercraft helped and rescued
more than 80 people along the Somerset coastline.
RELATED
LINKS:
Rescued dog walker praises hovercraft
rescue crew
Official
BARB Web site home page
|
