Coastguards are warning the public to keep away from mud after a man was trapped up to his waist.

The advice comes after a young man had to be rescued from Lulworth Cove over the bank holiday weekend.

Portland Maritime Rescue and Co-ordination Centre on Weymouth harbourside was called by a concerned member of the public on Saturday (30) at 3pm.

The person reported that a male, in his early 20s, was stuck up to his waist in the mud at Lulworth Cove.

The coastguards sent Lulworth coastguard rescue officers to the scene as well as Weymouth inshore lifeboat.

A special mud rescue team from Dorset Fire and Rescue Service also attended.

Coastguard officers attended to the man, while the fire service’s mud team used water lances to free the man.

A coastguard spokesman said that the lances are pushed down into the mud, close to the casualty’s legs and blow water and air into the mud.

This repeated process helps to free the legs from the sticky mud and the man could then be released from the mud to safety.

Once he was freed, he was taken back across the bay by the inshore lifeboat to a waiting ambulance.

Portland Coastguard Watch Manager, Ros Evans, urged walkers and those using the coast to be aware of the mud and to stay away.

She said: “As the inshore lifeboat left Lulworth Cove to return to Weymouth they reported that a number of people were walking over exactly the same area of mud.

“I urge people to be very careful in the Lulworth Cove area to avoid patches of mud. Becoming stuck is a cold, wet and distressing experience.

“If you do become stuck, spread your weight as much as possible and try to stay as calm as possible. Call 999 and ask for the coastguard.”

 

 

BACK in February several people fell afoul of the mud.

Coastguards issued warnings to walkers to be careful as mud and sand mixed to create treacherous conditions along the Jurassic Coast.

A man in his 80s had a lucky escape after becoming stuck.
The Middlesex pensioner got into trouble at Swanage and was rescued by two off-duty coastguard officers who spotted him.

At Lulworth Cove Angela Hancock and Laurent Smeets, two surgeons from West Sussex, got into trouble in the mud at Lulworth.

Miss Hancock had to pull Mr Smeets from the mud and later the same day the pair had to help rescue a man and a woman who got stuck in the same spot.