Published: August 8, 2012
In photos: Boy, 11, trapped in mud is rescued on Brean beach

An 11 year-old boy was rescued by hovercraft crews and Coastguards from Burnham-On-Sea after getting trapped in thigh-deep mud on Brean beach on Wednesday afternoon (August 8th).

The young holidaymaker had walked down the beach to wash his hands in a pool of water when he got into difficulty, as pictured here.

After his parents failed to reach him, Brean's beachwarden alerted Coastguards and two hovercrafts were sent to the scene from Burnham-based BARB (Burnham Area Rescue Boat).

The Light Of Elizabeth hovercraft flew several Coastguards out to reach the youngster 200 metres from the shore, where mud lances were used to free him.

Burnham Coastguard Station Officer Steve Bird told Burnham-On-Sea.com: "The boy was completely stuck in an area of very soft mud."

"He'd walked out to wash his hands but an area of mud gave way beneath him and he found himself stuck."

"We used mud lances around him to reduce the suction and free him before pulling him out and placing him on a stretcher."

"He was flown on the hovercraft back to the shore to a waiting ambulance. He seemed unfazed by the whole incident - it would have been a lot more serious if the tide had been coming in at the time."

The 11 year-old boy, from Ebbw Vale in Wales, is staying at a Burnham holiday park and was relieved to be safely back with his family, who thanked Brean's Beach Warden, the Coastguards, BARB and the ambulance crews for their help.