Essex mudflats rescue: Man rescues kayak pair stuck at Kirby-le-Soken

A mother and son in a kayak were rescued from mud on the Kirby-le-Soken shore of Hamford Water

A mother and son in a kayak have been rescued by a member of the public who waded through mud, contrary to advice given to him by the coastguard.

Rescue teams sent to Kirby-le-Soken in Essex on Sunday at about 19:50 BST said a man "took it upon himself to [wade out and] guide the kayakers ashore".

A coastguard spokesman said it "could not stress enough how unsafe it is" to go out on the mud.

"Thankfully, on this occasion, all turned out well," he said.

Coastguard teams said they could not "stress enough how unsafe it is for people to go out on the mud and rescue others"

Hamford Water is a tidal inlet of the North Sea between Harwich and Walton-on-the-Naze where mudflats are exposed at low tide

Holbrook Coastguard Rescue Team said the pair in the kayak had spent a few hours around Hamford Water and were returning home when the tide caught them out.

It had been joined at the scene by teams from Felixstowe and Walton and were just about to start the rescue when the member of the public decided to help and stepped on the mudflats.

A coastguard spokesman said "we told them not to and they did anyway".

"While we are always pleased with a successful outcome we cannot stress enough how unsafe it is for people to go out on the mud and rescue others," he added.

"It puts both yourself and our rescuers at risk. Thankfully, on this occasion he did have some local knowledge of the area and it worked out OK - all turned out well."

After a welfare check, the teams helped the kayakers back to their car to return home.

Kirby-le-Soken is on the southern shore of Hamford Water, and the village itself is protected by a earthen sea wall