A Scots dad 'had one hour to live' after getting trapped in a mudslide while out a walk to clear his head.
Matt Halliday's morning stroll along The Corsewall Loop in Dumfries and Galloway turned deadly after the weather worsened and the tide came in.
Struck down with severe hypothermia and knocked unconscious by a collapsed shelter, the 51-year-old was 'engulfed by a mudslide' before desperate crawling over rocks and calling 999.
The dad-of-four was airlifted to hospital after a 14-hour ordeal after which he thanked brave coastguard officers.
One year on Matt, from Stranraer, is speaking out about the horrors of the event and the life-saving efforts of mercy crews as chilling audio clips of his distress call were released.
The sign writer hopes sharing his story will warn other Scots, no matter how prepared or experienced, to 'not take anything for granted'.
He told the Record: "On February 4 last year I'd received a bit of bad news. I was already on furlough so wanted to go out a walk to clear my head.
"I know the area, near Stranraer, really well and it's popular with dog walkers and locals.
"I had appropriate clothing and a fully-charged phone, I planned to be home within the hour as a storm was coming in later that day. Little did I know how things would turn out."
Heading a little further out on his walk, Matt turned back to see the tide had come in.
"I took shelter under a kind of overhang of tree trunks and other materials," he added.
"That was the last thing I remembered before waking up."
Biting wind and stormy conditions saw Matt take hypothermia.
A mudslide caused the shelter to collapse on top of him and he was knocked unconscious. Several hours later, he woke to find his body engulfed in mud from the landslide on the cliff edge.
Struggling out of the mud, his legs gave way so the dad was forced to crawl across a rocky area before dialling 999.
"I wasn't fully with it, so I don't think I fully understood what had happened," he added.
"I feel worse for my wife Fiona, and friends who were out looking for me.
"I'd been away since 9am and didn't get to hospital till 11pm that night - that's how long I was out there for.
"It must have been terrifying for them."
Emergency crews found Matt later that night and airlifted him to Galloway Hospital where his severe hypothermia was treated and he was released the next morning.
"Had the coastguard arrived an hour later I would be dead," Matt said.
"I owe them my life, they are my heroes."
To thank mercy crews Matt walked 22 miles over four days, raising nearly £2,700 for charities that assist HM Coastguard.
As Storm Dudley is set to sweep across Scotland this week Matt warned Scots to take care while out along the coastline.
"Don't take anything for granted," he added.
"Check the weather forecast, wear the right clothing and don't go out alone if you're not in a good frame of mind.
"Anything can happen."
Senior Coastal Operations Officer Richard Morgans said: “It doesn’t matter how well you know an area and even the best prepared of people can still get caught out on our coasts.
"Luck was just not on Matt’s side that day and it was a combination of small events that led to the perfect storm that caught him out.
"We’d say that if anyone’s in trouble around our coasts at any time of the day or night, just give us a call on 999.
"Even if you don’t think it’s life-critical, a situation can escalate in seconds and that call could just save a life.”
It comes after T he Met Office issued an amber weather warning for winds as Scotland is set to face gusts of up to 90MPH, as a result of Storm Dudley.
The storm is forecast to bring strong and disruptive winds to many areas across the country.
The warning will comes into force from 6pm on Wednesday and is set to remain in place until 9am on Thursday.
There will be two weather warnings running at the same time - with a yellow warning for wind also issued from Wednesday at 3pm until Thursday at 6pm.
If you get into trouble or see anyone in difficulties, call 999 and ask for the Coastguard.
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