WARNINGS have been issued after a busy Bank Holiday weekend on West Somerset coastlines -including a mud rescue and a missing 5-year-old. 

The first drama occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning, when the Watchet and Minehead Coastguard teams were sent to assist Avon and Somerset Police to locate a woman who they feared had gone missing in the mud or water after a night out. 

She was located on the arrival of the teams and reunited with her friends and returned to her holiday accommodation. 

Later that day, the Watchet team were called to Blue Anchor to reports of a vessel in distress. The vessel was identified as a lone fishing kayaker, at anchor, however was catching the sunlight on his watch causing an occasional flash of light towards the shore.

A few hours later, a third 999 call for assistance waas made following the sighting of two male teenagers stuck in the mud near the low water mark and more than 200 meters from the shore at Blue Anchor. 

A dramatic rescue took place to free them from the mud. 

Somerset County Gazette:

The Watchet Coastguard team set out on the mud rescue, where one of the parents was also out in the mud. 

Due to the large distance from the shore and with the Bristol Channel having the second highest tidal range in the world the HM Coastguard Maritime Rescue Centre at Milford Haven requested Minehead Coastguard and a back up Mud Rescue Team deployed from Burnham on Sea, as well as the Coastguard Rescue Helicopter from St Athan in Wales to proceed to the scene.

The Minehead lifeboat was also requested to attend as a backup to the coastguard teams should the incoming tide reach the casualties and the coastguard rescuers before they had been freed from the mud.

Mud rescue technicians Richard Nicholas and Simon Bale were deployed out into the mud, and assisted the three persons back to the shore. Due to the length of time the two teenagers had been stuck in the mud, the Coastguard Helicopter, call sign Rescue 187, landed on the beach to allow it's paramedic trained winchman to check them over for signs of a condition called hydrostatic squeeze and for potential heatstroke/ exposure.

Having been checked out and deemed fit, the teenagers and parent were escorted back off of the beach where they were provided with drinking water and given a wash down  by the Watchet Coastguards. Both the Burnham on Sea Coastguards and Minehead Lifeboat crews stood down.

Somerset County Gazette:

The drama continued on Bank Holiday Monday, when the coastguard was called to reports of a suspicious item on the beach at West Street Watchet, found by a family enjoying the sunny weather. Coastguards were concerned it was a piece of wartime ordinance so attended to asses it. 

Following their examination and liaison with milford haven MRCC the Coastguards deemed the item safe and not explosive and its collection for destruction was requested by West Somerset Council.

Within minutes of returning to station, the Watchet Coastguard team were tasked with Minehead Coastguard to assist Avon and Somerset police with a shoreline search at Minehead following a report of a missing 5-year-old child.

Arriving on scene and joining local neighbourhood police officers they began searching the beach, until a report was received the child had been located at the other end of the beach more than 1/2 mile from the last sighting.  The child was reunited with his parents.

Her Majesties Coastguard is now reminding all those who visit the coastline to check the tide times and weather, not to venture out into mud, and to keep clear of unguarded cliff edges and always keep dog on leads.

It asks anyone who finds something on the shoreline that is suspicious, not to pick it up, but record its location, ideally with a grid reference and mark the location and report it.

If you sight anyone in distress on the coastline, beach, or sea or have any concerns for someone's safety, to dial 999 and ask for the coastguard.