A hapless golfer had to be rescued after he sank up to his waist in mud when he tried to recover his ball from a drained lake.

Terry Harnett, 68, was playing the fifth hole at Barton on Sea Golf Club when he chipped his ball onto the bed of the hazard.

Determined to retrieve his ball, Terry stepped onto the crusty, brown surface - but as soon as he did he sank up to his ankle.

Retired builder Terry pushed on but after two more steps he found himself waist deep in mud.

Terry, from New Milton, said: "The ground seemed fairly solid when I took my first step so I just walked towards my ball.

"But by my second step I was up to my knees and after my third step I sank up to my waist in the mud."

Terry, who has been a member at the club for 36 years, said he managed to call out to a worker who was dredging another lake on the course.

He added: "He came over and lowered the bucket of his digger down to me. I caught the edge of the bucket and he pulled me clear.

"As he did I managed to grab my ball and throw it onto the green.

"When I got back to the clubhouse I was ribbed by everyone - it's certainly not something I would want to go through again."

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