RNLI crew rescues Dee estuary bird spotter

A wildfowl bird enthusiast had to be rescued by an RNLI lifeboat crew after getting into trouble on a changing tide on the Dee estuary.

He was rescued from thigh deep water at Gayton Sands, Wirral, by Flint RNLI volunteers based on the opposite side of the estuary.

An RNLI spokesman said, while close to the shore, he realised he would not make it back in time and used his own mobile phone to call for help.

A search for man's black Labrador dog was unsuccessful during the call-out on Thursday afternoon.