EMERGENCY services battled for three hours to rescue six people stuck in mud at Barton-on-Sea.

The casualties were treated by ambulance crews for the effects of pressure on their legs following the incident just after 5pm yesterday.

Bournemouth Echo:

Picture: Southbourne Coastguard

Poole, Lymington and Southbourne Coastguards were involved in the rescue and the Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Technical Rescue Team were also called. Two fire crews from New Milton also took part in the rescue.

A spokesman for Poole Coastguard said: "The teams took turns digging deep mud to attempt to free the people. The people were trapped fast which was making recovery difficult. With teams becoming tired out, it was decided to increase man power by requesting the DWFireRescue specialist mud rescue crew."

Bournemouth Echo:

Picture: Southbourne Coastguard 

The spokesman said the casualties were then passed over to ambulance crews for assessment "due to effects of the pressure on the legs for so long."

Now a warning has been issued to the public.

A spokesman for Southbourne Coastguard said: "If you are visiting the area and go to this location please do not climb onto the mud flats as the conditions are very bad with deep mud pools and cliff slides.

"Check the tides as you can also be cut off as these casualties were. This led them to climb the mud banks and get stuck."