A hapless woman became stuck up to her waist in mud at a popular beauty spot yesterday.
This stark image captures the woman struggling in the mud by Marine Lake in West Kirby, Merseyside.
When the alarm was raised at 1.44pm, coastguard officers from Wirral and North Wales rushed to carry out a dramatic rescue.
A hovercraft was sent to the scene when the woman was unable to reach the shore after getting firmly stuck in a channel of shallow water, Liverpool Echo reports.
Police and paramedics also attended to assist with the rescue.
An spokesman for Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) said: "The hovercraft landed carefully alongside the casualty and the crew deployed mud boards and mats around her to provide them all with a solid surface.
"The RNLI crew were then able to swiftly extract the casualty from the mud and bring her on board the hovercraft."
The woman was assessed for any medical conditions at the scene. The RNLI said although she was feeling shock and the effects of the cold mud, she required no urgent treatment.
The spokesman added: "Coastguard officers had crossed the beach with a stretcher, which the casualty was encouraged to use for further safety."
The woman was provided with plenty of blankets to keep her warm before she was take ashore on the hovercraft, landing at Sandy Lane slipway. She was then passed into the care of the coastguard and the ambulance service.
The RNLI has now issued a warning to anyone visiting the coast, with the warm weather set to continue into the first week of June.
Hoylake RNLI Second Coxswain and hovercraft commander Tony Warburton said: "Our crew were glad we could assist the casualty to safety after she got into difficulty in thick mud, which is common to beaches all around the Merseyside coast.
"With more good weather on the way, we’re expecting many more people to head to the coast over half-term and would always advise visiting a lifeguarded beach, checking the weather forecast and tide times, and looking out for local safety signage.’
"If you get stuck in mud, try and retrace your steps to safety or spread your weight as evenly as you can. Avoid moving, stay calm, and discourage others from trying to help as they may get stuck themselves. Instead, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard, who will send trained and equipped emergency services to help."
