Woman rescued from mud in harbour

A woman has been rescued, after she became stuck in the mud at Whitby Harbour.

Emergency services were called to the coast just before midday on Wednesday, where they worked together to free her.

Whitby Coastguard said that along with Whitby RNLI lifeboat, the police and the fire service, digging equipment and boarding was used to get the woman out.

A spokesperson said: "Coastguard officers then assisted the casualty to the boathouse, where they were able to warm up, change into dry clothing, and continue with their day after what would have been a worrying experience."

The rescue team praised the woman for remaining still and asking for help, which "significantly reduced" the risk of further harm.

They warned mud and soft ground around harbours could be extremely dangerous as tides change, with damp weather also making the ground softer underfoot.

"While Whitby Coastguard is a specialist cliff rescue team and not operationally designated for mud rescue, our officers train across a wide range of scenarios using similar rescue systems and principles," a spokesperson added.

"This shared training and close working relationship with partner agencies allows us to integrate smoothly and support incidents like this safely and effectively."

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