#rescue – An elderly man with a walking aid was rescued from soft sand just 50 metres off the prom in Morecombe today after he sank up to his knees.

At just before 11.30 this morning Liverpool Maritime Rescue Coordination Centre received a 999 call from a member of the public. He told the coastguard about the elderly gentleman's predicament. The specialist coastguard mud rescue teams from Morecombe and Knott End were immediately sent to the scene with the RNLI hovercraft based in Morecombe and the Lancashire Fire and Rescue Service mud team.

The elderly man was extracted from the soft sand by the coastguard rescue teams and fire and rescue service. He was brought ashore by the RNLI hovercraft before receiving medical attention and being taken to hospital by the North West Ambulance Service.

Watch Manager Stuart Atkinson who coordinated today's rescue said:

"The winter storms have moved the sand around offshore. This means that areas that were safe to walk are now areas of dangerous soft sand.

"Please take care if you are out on the sands. If you become stuck try to spread your weight as much as possible. If you have a mobile phone call 999 and ask for the coastguard."