A woman and her dog were rescued by Hoylake RNLI’s hovercraft after becoming stranded on a sandbank.
The pair found themselves stuck near Barber’s Folly at Meols on Sunday 16 February at around 10.30am.
The casualty had reportedly tried crossing the tidal gutter to reach the sea wall, but found herself neck-deep in water and struggling on the soft sand.
The vessel and crew launched and headed to the scene with the coastguard monitoring from the shore. The casualty and her dog were found on a small sandbank surrounded by rising water.
The pair were brought safely on board the hovercraft and once the RNLI crew were satisfied they were both well, they were brought ashore.
Hovercraft commander, Paul Sherratt, said: “The tide around the Wirral coast can come in very quickly and it’s easy to find yourself cut off unexpectedly.
“Fortunately the alarm was raised with enough time for the casualty and her dog to be rescued before the sandbank they were on was totally covered.
“The RNLI launches to hundreds of incidents each year involving people cut off by the tide.
“If you’re heading to the coast, always carry a means of calling for help, look out for local safety signage and most importantly, check the weather and tide times before you go and know your route to safety.
“If you get into difficulty, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.”
Photo credit: Wirral Coastguard Rescue Team
