A SECOND quicksand rescue in just two weeks has prompted a coastguard to warn ‘someone will die on the sands’.

Arnside station manager, Nigel Capstick, made the prediction after a dramatic incident on Sunday when two visitors found themselves unable to escape as high tide approached.

Dozens of rescuers were called to the scene, close to the Ship Inn at Sandside, where they found a 25-year-old woman submerged up to her waist and a 46-year-old male stuck up to his knees.

They were just 20 metres from shore – and close to a sign warning of dangers on the sands.

The pair were plucked to safety by coastguards from Morecambe and Arnside, who attended with paramedics, Cumbria Fire and Rescue, Bay Search and Rescue and the police.

A Royal National Lifeboat Institute team from Morecambe also attended on a hovercraft.

Two weeks earlier, a 14-year-old girl was pulled from quick-sand in a race ‘against time and tide’ after sinking to her waist.

Mr Capstick said: “After the incident two weeks ago, we predicted another would happen, although we never expected the conditions to be this bad.

“If people don’t listen to the warnings someone will die on the sands.”

Following the previous inci-dent, Queen's Guide to the Sands Cedric Robinson warned people to stay away because he had never known the Bay 'so dangerous'.

Mr Capstick said a combina-tion of heavy rain and shifting channels has caused conditions to worsen and by Sunday the sands were a ‘lake’ some 9ft deep.

“The quicksand was horren-dous,” he said. “It was a lake of sand. I have never seen it so bad.People do not realise how lethal it is.”

MP Tim Farron spoke out to express his ‘relief’ there had not been a fatality, but added: “This latest incident is a reminder that we’re not far off.”

Eyewitnesses said the drama unfolded at around 3.30pm Arnside man Craig Woodburn, 27, threw lifebelts to the couple while keeping onlookers at a safe distance.

“It was really scary but I just did what I thought anyone else would have done,” he said.

Mr Capstick said sand in the area tended to solidify within minutes of someone getting stuck so gallons of water had to be injected into the ground to loosen it.

Conditions were so bad that some of the rescuers’ equipment sank and could not be recovered.

The couple were freed at 4.10pm and treated at the scene for shock. Their pet dog was also stuck in the mud briefly but managed to free itself.

On Tuesday, Morecambe and Lunesdale MP David Morris said he would highlight the issue at a national level by tabling a Parliamentary Motion.

It will note that Morecambe Bay sands can be ‘a dangerous place without correct super-vision’ and that there have two major rescues this month.

He also urged anyone wishing to cross the sands to contact Cedric Robinson and participate in one of his guided tours.

“I am concerned there have been two high profile incidents on the sands,” he said.

“I think it is imperative that visitors know that while we have some of the most beautiful views in the world here, the sands can also be dangerous.”

And MP Mr Farron said: “Local people know how dangerous the sands are but I think local authorities need to raise the awareness of tourists that the sands are beautiful but incredibly dangerous.”