Warning after mum sinks 'waist high' in sand

Dog walker Katy Allinson "crawled" to safety after sinking into sand on Withernsea beach

A woman is urging beachgoers to be extra careful after she says she became trapped "waist high" in sand on an East Yorkshire beach.

Mother-of-one Katy Allinson said she was walking her dog along Withernsea beach near wooden groynes at about midday on Wednesday when she sank into the sand.

"Within seconds one leg had gone, then the other. I had to crawl out of the wet sand on my front. I was in shock," she said.

Groynes are beach structures that extend from the shore into the sea to provide protection against coastal erosion.

Katy said the incident happened near the groynes at the North end of the beach

Miss Allinson has lived in the town all her life and said she was "fully aware of the dangers" of the water.

She posted a warning on social media asking the public to "please be careful".

Two of the respondents said they had had a similar experience on that section of the town's seafront.

"It's the half-term holidays and if a child was in a similar situation it could be very dangerous," Miss Allinson added.

The 41-year-old's springer spaniel, Reggie, had jumped in a small pool of water on the beach during the incident and was unhurt.

HM Coastguard said all beachgoers should visit its website for safety advice and to check the weather forecast and tide times before setting out.

Miss Allinson said the tide was going out at the time of the incident.

She said it had left her in "shock" and she was now "nervous about going back on the beach".

Safety advice

Sue Hickson-Marsay MBE, from Hornsea Inshore Rescue which operates just a few miles along the coast from Withernsea, said people should always look for warning signs and take care on the beach.

She said: "Please keep away from areas of soft sand and mud.

"Before going on to the beach, always check that it is safe to do so, tides and conditions can change quickly.

"If you or anyone else gets into difficulty, call 999 immediately and ask for the Coastguard."

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