Incredible moment man rescued seconds from death on 'UK's most dangerous beach'

A holidaymaker was seconds from death when pulled from quicksand as the tide "rapidly" rushed in on one of the UK's most treacherous beaches. The walker was plucked from the sand trap on Morecambe Bay, in Lancashire, where the tide comes in faster than you can run, on Saturday, in what emergency teams admitted was a "close call." 

In 2004, it was the scene of a major UK tragedy as 23 Chinese illegal migrant cockle-picking workers were surrounded by fast-flowing water and drowned in the bay. The Chinese gangmaster who organised the trip and two associates of his were found guilty of manslaughter, of breaking immigration laws and other crimes, and were sentenced to several years in prison.

Over the weekend, the Bay Search and Rescue volunteer team said the alarm was raised when a 999 call sparked an urgent request from Holyhead Coastguard. 

They said on Saturday morning a person was trapped in quicksand at Silverdale, in the Bay, with a big tide rapidly pushing in. 

The volunteers explained: "Very quickly we came across the casualty who was lying on his back in a soft gulley. 

"At first glance only his chest, head, one arm, and part of one leg still visible, but because he had laid right he was thankfully not in too deep, but completely exhausted and quite hypothermic. 

"Our crew inflated two Inflatable Rescue Air Pathways so we could safely reach him, and informed Holyhead MRCC of his exact location. 

"One pathway behind him to prevent him sinking further and the other in front we carefully worked to free him. After just a few short minutes, he was safely out and on the pathway and able to crawl up onto dry land. 

"We immediately transferred him into the Sherp for rewarming, as he was extremely cold and showing signs of hypothermia. Our medic assessed him and wrapped him in foil blankets whilst moving swiftly to a safer place for transfer."

They said the tide was rushing in so quickly, by the time they freed him and made their way back to safety the water had already engulfed the spot where the man had been stuck. 

Bay Search and Rescue added: "As we left the scene, the tide had already begun to fill the gulley - a surreal reminder of just how close this call was." 

The man was assessed by a medic and wrapped in foil blankets then transported to a cafe in Arnside, Carnforth, where he was seen by North West Ambulance Service staff. 

A rescue team spokesperson thanked colleagues in emergency services, including Arnside and South Lakes Coastguard Rescue Team, Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service, and Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service, for their support. 

Earlier this year, Bay Search and Rescue said they had discovered more patches of quicksand this year than they had for decades. 

Gary Parsons, who leads the rescue team, urged visitors to stick with organised events by those who know and understand the landscape. 

"You don't see it until you're on it," he said. 

"Then all of a sudden a crack will appear and you will see the water come through the sand because we're on a giant blancmange." 

Mr Parsons said the beach had been affected by some "very big spring tides over the course of the last two months". 

"I've not seen it like this in my 30-plus years of being involved in search and rescue," he said. 

Those who become trapped in quicksand or those who believe someone is in trouble are advised to call 999 immediately and ask for the coastguard. 

Ivan Unsworth, from Bay Search and Rescue, said the best thing people could do if they became stuck was to lie down distribute their weight over as great an area as possible. 

"Sit yourself down and spread your weight so you don't sink any further, or even lie down," he said.