SWNS
A simple stroll along a beach turned into a terrifying ordeal for an 11-year-old boy after he became trapped in QUICKSAND.
The frightened lad yelled for help as he found himself being sucked in up to his thighs by the dangerous mud on Brean beach at Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset.
His frantic parents failed to help him so alerted the coastguard who sent a hovercraft to reach the boy, 200 metres from shore.
He was eventually freed with the help of some special equipment called mud lances.
The dramatic events unfolded yesterday afternoon when the young holidaymaker had walked down the beach to wash his hands in a pool of water.
SWNS
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 lad, from Ebbw Vale in Wales, is staying at a Burnham holiday park and was relieved to be back to safety. His family thanked the emergency services for their help.
Isn't this the stuff of nightmares?