TWO people had to be rescued after becoming waist deep in solidifying Morecambe Bay quicksand.

The man and woman, in their 60s, got stuck in the sands at Humphrey Head, Flookburgh, while walking today (September 4).

Coordinated by HM Coastguard, a rescue operation involving more than 20 people from a number of emergency services was launched to help the pair at 12.52pm.

Morecambe RNLI hovercraft was first on the scene and managed to dig the woman out but required further help to extract the man who was 'very deep'.

Racing against the incoming tide, Bay Search and Rescue used a Hagglund to carry heavy equipment to the man's location including a water pump to help loosen and blow away the sand.

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Paul Calland, deputy station officer for Bay Search and Rescue, told the Gazette it took the team around 15 to 20 minutes to dig the man out.

"He was above his waist in quicksand," he added.

The hovercraft was then used to transport the man to the shore before he was stretchered and passed over to the North West Ambulance Service.

"The man had been in for about 45 minutes and the sand had started to set into concrete," added Mr Calland. "It had potential, without the right equipment, to have turned into something else. The area is notoriously dangerous.

"But it was a good, safe rescue and went well."

Suffering from mild hypothermia, the couple, who who were holidaying in the area from Cheshire, were taken to Furness General Hospital, Barrow, to be checked over.

The rescue involved five members from Morecambe RNLI, six members from Bay Search and Rescue, eight members from Arnside and Furness Coastguards and the Cumbria Fire and Rescue Service plus the North West Ambulance Service, whose helicopter landed at the scene but was not used.

On Twitter, Arnside Coastguard said: "Superb job by Morecambe hovercraft in extracting casualties so quickly."