LIFEBOAT crews were in a sticky situation this evening after a trailer got stuck in the harbour.

The crew were returning from an exercise when the vehicle became lodged in the soft sand outside Mudeford Lifeboat Station.

Steve Hogan, who spotted their efforts to free the vehicle and submitted pictures to the Echo, said: "A tractor got stuck in the water and so did a trailer as the tide was going out.

"I think they were doing some sort of demonstration.

"It certainly looks like something went terribly wrong."

A volunteer at the station said: "We have got some soft sand just off the slipway and the trailer got bogged down."

He said the RNLI has been filming the crew today. "What they will use I don't know," he added.

An RNLI spokesman said the crew's equipment was all intact.

She said the crew had been in Boscombe this morning for the launch of the charity's Respect the Water campaign, which is advising people in the proper techniques to use when stranded in water.

In particular it will emphasise the importance of keeping calm and floating rather than thrashing around while awaiting rescue.