Story From Daily Mail:
A teenager is lucky to be alive after becoming trapped waist-deep in sand as he went to rescue two children from the rising tide.
The 16-year-old boy had waded out to reach two younger members of his family off Seaton Carew, Hartlepool, Cleveland, when he began to sink in soft sand and his foot became stuck under a rock.
He then remained there - stuck up to his waist with the tide coming in - for an hour and 15 minutes as a huge rescue operation was launched.
A water jet was first used to loosen the sand around the teenager, while RNLI divers went below the water to try and free the boy. The 16-year-old was stuck in the sand for an hour and 15 minutes
Family members had tried to help him escape but with the tide coming in fast, emergency services were called.
After coastguards and fire officers managed to work the youngster out of the sands he was taken to the University Hospital of North Tees in Stockton.
The teenager escaped without serious injuries, but was treated for mild hypothermia.
Fire chiefs and Hartlepool RNLI volunteers said that the victim was extremely lucky and had they been called 30 minutes later it could have turned into a 'different situation'.
The drama unfolded at Seaton Carew beach at around 5.20pm yesterday.
Fire chiefs and Hartlepool RNLI volunteers said that the victim was extremely lucky and had they been called 30 minutes later it could have turned into a 'different situation'
A water jet was first used to loosen the sand, while RNLI divers went below the water to try and free the boy.
RNLI volunteer helmsman Mark Barker, who was first on the scene, said: 'He was trapped in the sand with the tide coming in fast.
'At first he was quite calm, but he began to panic a little with the shock and the fact the sea was rising.'
Mike Craddy, lifeboat operations manager for Hartlepool RNLI, added: 'The boy was very lucky, with the tide coming in fast we could have been talking about a different situation.
Coastal: The beach where the youngster was rescued stretches two miles and was the coastline 'canoe man' John Darwin vanished from in 2002
'Our team worked together extremely well and thankfully with the help of the fire service managed the extracate the boy.'
Ronnie Olds, crew manager at Stranton Fire Station, said the victim was 'very lucky' and issued a warning to others to be careful in and around this area of the beach.
He said: 'We assisted the RNLI and Coastguard and used a water jet to help to free the boy.
'With the ongoing movement of the sea defences we want to warn people to be careful on the beach.'
A spokesman for the North East Ambulance Service, said: 'There was an exceptionally high demand of cases last night.
'We normally have around 350 cases on a Friday evening, but we had 530 this week.
'Ideally we would have got an ambulance to the scene quicker, but the victim was under continuous care of a paramedic when he was taken to hospital.'
Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2044581/Rescue-boy-16-trapped-waist-sand-Seaton-Carew.html#ixzz2AomRcLZ6
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