A QUICKSAND warning has been issued after a boy had to be rescued at Arnside.

The 15-year-old had been trying to retrieve a ball at the shore when he became trapped up to his knees near Arnside pier, just before 11:30am, yesterday.

Rescuers from Arnside and Milnthorpe fire stations and Arnside Coasguard took 15 minutes to pull him free from the sand.

A passing paramedic was flagged down for assistance until an ambulance arrived. It is believed the boy was not injured but he was taken to hospital as a precaution.

Coastguard officers are now warning the public to be 'vigilant' when visiting the Morecambe Bay shore.

Last year, The Westmorland Gazette launched a Safety on the Sands campaign after a number of incidents where people became stuck in the sands.

The rescues prompted a warning from Cedric Robinson, the Queen's Guide to the Sands, that the Morecambe Bay shore was more dangerous than at any time in living memory.