EMERGENCY services launched a dramatic rescue after a boat worker got trapped up to his waist in mud.
The man, who works for Eastney Cruising Association, in Ferry Road, Eastney, Portsmouth, had waded out into nearby shallow waters to carry out maintenance work on a piece of mooring when he got stuck.
The man’s son and friend who were with him but ashore at the time then rang for help.
A total of 16 firefighters from Southsea and Havant dug mud away from the man’s feet before helping him slide down two specialised rescue paths which brought him back to shore.
The man, who firefighters say is in his early 30s, was then put on a stretcher and taken to Queen Alexandra Hospital, Cosham, to be checked over.
His condition was not life-threatening.
HM Coastguard also attended the rescue operation, which lasted about an hour on Thursday night.
Chris Norgate, crew manager at Southsea fire station, said: ‘I can confirm that we were called out at three minutes past eight.
‘There are dangers attached to going out into any type of ground with sand or mud.
‘The man wasn’t so cold that he was developing hypothermia; but if he had remained in the mud much longer then the pressure could have caused problems with his legs. That would have been more of a worry.’
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