Stranded dog walker rescued from sandbank by Hoylake RNLI hovercraft

Hoylake RNLI hovercraft was requested to launch by HM Coastguard at 10.37am alongside the Wirral Coastguard Rescue Team after the person and her dog found themselves stranded on a sandbank near Barber’s Folly at Meols. The casualty had reportedly tried crossing the tidal gutter to reach the sea wall, but found herself neck-deep in water and struggling on the soft sand.

The RNLI hovercraft Molly Rayner and her volunteer crew launched and headed to the scene with the Coastguard monitoring from the shore. The casualty and her dog were found on a small sandbank surrounded by rising water.

The pair were brought safely on board the hovercraft and once the RNLI crew were satisfied they were both well, they were brought ashore and landed at Dove Point slipway and passed to the care of HM Coastguard officers.

This was the first incident in command for long-serving volunteer Paul Sherratt, who qualified as a Hoylake RNLI hovercraft commander earlier this month.

Paul said: ‘The tide around the Wirral coast can come in very quickly and it’s easy to find yourself cut off unexpectedly. Fortunately the alarm was raised with enough time for the casualty and her dog to be rescued before the sandbank they were on was totally covered.'

‘The RNLI launches to hundreds of incidents each year involving people cut off by the tide. If you’re heading to the coast, always carry a means of calling for help, look out for local safety signage and most importantly, check the weather and tide times before you go and know your route to safety. If you get into difficulty, dial 999 and ask for the Coastguard.'

RNLI media contacts

For more information, please contact:

Dan Whiteley, Hoylake RNLI Lifeboat Press Officer on 07799 851 316 or email [email protected]

Claire Devine, Hoylake RNLI Deputy Lifeboat Press Officer 07734 817 068 or email [email protected]

RNLI Press Office on 01202 336789

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The RNLI charity saves lives at sea. Its volunteers provide a 24-hour search and rescue service around the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland coasts. The RNLI operates 238 lifeboat stations in the UK and Ireland and more than 240 lifeguard units on beaches around the UK and Channel Islands. The RNLI is independent of Coastguard and government and depends on voluntary donations and legacies to maintain its rescue service. Since the RNLI was founded in 1824, its lifeboat crews and lifeguards have saved over 146,000 lives.

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