These pictures capture the dramatic moment a 10-year-old boy was rescued as he sank into mud.
Callum Currie was walking below cliffs on Charmouth beach in Dorset on the English Channel Coast looking for fossils (the coast of Devon and Dorset is abundant in fossils and is known as the Jurassic Coast) when he'd become trapped in the mud.
The boy's parents became aware that he had become trapped when a woman ran up to them and told them. Another woman ran from the beach to the beachside cafe and called the coastguards.
Callum was freed unharmed by eight coastguards who perservered for half an hour to pull him out.
The boy's mother, Amanda, said: 'He was caked in mud and very cold when he came out and a bit shaken, but I was amazed that he was so resilient.'
Caught on camera: Dramatic moment terrified boy, 10, was rescued as he sank into mud
By Daily Mail Reporter
23rd March 2011
Daily Mail
This is the dramatic moment a ten-year-old boy was dragged from killer mud by a team of heroic rescuers after he'd become trapped.
Callum Currie sank up to his waist while walking below cliffs in the area of a recent landslide at Charmouth beach, Dorset. A team of eight coastguards worked for 30 minutes to rescue the boy who was eventually freed unharmed.
Coastguards used specialist equipment consisting of a harness and water and air to extract Callum from the mud.
Sinking: 10-year-old Callum Currie was up to his waist in mud at Charmouth Beach in Dorset
Signs were recently put up along the beach in the area of the landslip warning people of possible dangers.
Paramedics, police officers and firefighters were also called to the incident. Callum's mother Amanda Currie, from Sidmouth, Devon, said she, her partner Andrew Bowkett and Callum were out looking for fossils on the beach when a woman came running up to her.
She added: 'The woman told me 'your son is up to his waist in mud' and I went running back. 'My worst fear was that he was going to sink further.
Help arrives: Coastguards using specialist equipment eventually pulled Callum free after half an hour
'I was thinking 'just how deep is it' and 'how me and my partner were going to get him out'.' A woman on the beach raised the alarm at the beachside cafe and the coastguards were called.
They kept Mrs Currie, Mr Bowkett and others away from the scene because of concern about more people sinking in the mud.
Mrs Currie, 43, said: 'The coastguards used body-stretchers to reach Callum and a pool of water in the mud which was attached to a cylinder. 'They dragged him along for a bit and were able to pull him free.
Warnings: Signs were recently put up around the beach telling people to keep away from the landslip
From start to finish the rescue took half an hour.' Mrs Currie said Callum was recovering well after the drama.
She said: 'He's absolutely fine and he handled it all really well. There was a brief moment when he panicked but he remained calm despite being in the mud for an hour.
'He was caked in mud and very cold when he came out and a bit shaken, but I was amazed that he was so resilient.' Mrs Currie was full of praise for Callum's rescuers.
She said: 'They were brilliant and they were all so sweet and made sure he was all right and that I was.'
New signs were placed at Charmouth Beach in April last year warning about mudflows following a series of incidents of people getting trapped.
Mrs Currie added: 'There aren't enough warning signs for people. 'There were two signs missing that had been there before.
'I asked the coastguard why there isn't a sign at the beginning of the beach warning people about thick mud. 'If it had been a smaller child in there it could have gone up to their neck.'
A Portland Coastguard spokeswoman said the team of coastguards used specialist mud rescue equipment consisting of a harness and water and air to extract Callum from the mud.
dailymail.co.uk
Callum Currie was walking below cliffs on Charmouth beach in Dorset on the English Channel Coast looking for fossils (the coast of Devon and Dorset is abundant in fossils and is known as the Jurassic Coast) when he'd become trapped in the mud.
The boy's parents became aware that he had become trapped when a woman ran up to them and told them. Another woman ran from the beach to the beachside cafe and called the coastguards.
Callum was freed unharmed by eight coastguards who perservered for half an hour to pull him out.
The boy's mother, Amanda, said: 'He was caked in mud and very cold when he came out and a bit shaken, but I was amazed that he was so resilient.'
Caught on camera: Dramatic moment terrified boy, 10, was rescued as he sank into mud
By Daily Mail Reporter
23rd March 2011
Daily Mail
This is the dramatic moment a ten-year-old boy was dragged from killer mud by a team of heroic rescuers after he'd become trapped.
Callum Currie sank up to his waist while walking below cliffs in the area of a recent landslide at Charmouth beach, Dorset. A team of eight coastguards worked for 30 minutes to rescue the boy who was eventually freed unharmed.
Coastguards used specialist equipment consisting of a harness and water and air to extract Callum from the mud.
Sinking: 10-year-old Callum Currie was up to his waist in mud at Charmouth Beach in Dorset
Signs were recently put up along the beach in the area of the landslip warning people of possible dangers.
Paramedics, police officers and firefighters were also called to the incident. Callum's mother Amanda Currie, from Sidmouth, Devon, said she, her partner Andrew Bowkett and Callum were out looking for fossils on the beach when a woman came running up to her.
She added: 'The woman told me 'your son is up to his waist in mud' and I went running back. 'My worst fear was that he was going to sink further.
Help arrives: Coastguards using specialist equipment eventually pulled Callum free after half an hour
'I was thinking 'just how deep is it' and 'how me and my partner were going to get him out'.' A woman on the beach raised the alarm at the beachside cafe and the coastguards were called.
They kept Mrs Currie, Mr Bowkett and others away from the scene because of concern about more people sinking in the mud.
Mrs Currie, 43, said: 'The coastguards used body-stretchers to reach Callum and a pool of water in the mud which was attached to a cylinder. 'They dragged him along for a bit and were able to pull him free.
Warnings: Signs were recently put up around the beach telling people to keep away from the landslip
From start to finish the rescue took half an hour.' Mrs Currie said Callum was recovering well after the drama.
She said: 'He's absolutely fine and he handled it all really well. There was a brief moment when he panicked but he remained calm despite being in the mud for an hour.
'He was caked in mud and very cold when he came out and a bit shaken, but I was amazed that he was so resilient.' Mrs Currie was full of praise for Callum's rescuers.
She said: 'They were brilliant and they were all so sweet and made sure he was all right and that I was.'
New signs were placed at Charmouth Beach in April last year warning about mudflows following a series of incidents of people getting trapped.
Mrs Currie added: 'There aren't enough warning signs for people. 'There were two signs missing that had been there before.
'I asked the coastguard why there isn't a sign at the beginning of the beach warning people about thick mud. 'If it had been a smaller child in there it could have gone up to their neck.'
A Portland Coastguard spokeswoman said the team of coastguards used specialist mud rescue equipment consisting of a harness and water and air to extract Callum from the mud.
dailymail.co.uk
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