Ex-lifeboat gets stuck on mudflats

An HM Coastguard team has been called out to help a former lifeboat that ran aground on mudflats.

A member of the public called the Southend HM Coastguard team on Thursday after they saw the boat "suddenly" stop one kilometre west of Southend Pier.

Six officers with personal flotation devices set off across the "sticky mud" towards the stricken vessel. They found two people on board, who were advised to wait for the tide to rise again.

A spokesperson for HM Coastguard said on Facebook: "Luckily no-one was injured and the crew were well within the inner channel marker buoys, but unfortunately the tide had turned quicker than expected so they found themselves aground."

When officers were content the crew were safe and had provisions and capability to stay aboard until the next high tide, they made their way back to the shore before being stood down.

"We headed back to the station, washed our boots and overalls down and we're ready for service again," added the spokesperson.

The boat was a RNLI Tyne-class that was launched in the early 1980s - a class of boat designed for slipway launches that specialised in low-tide clearance areas.

About 40 boats were built in this class and they were phased out, with the last one retiring from active service in 2017.

Only one of the boats saw less than 20 years of service.

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