Family have to be rescued from beach after car gets stuck in soft sand

Following weeks of flooding in Somerset, one family took advantage of a sunny spell in the region yesterday afternoon, but got stuck when they drove their car over soft sand on Brean Beach.

The family drove their car over a "notorious" stretch of the beach that left them requiring the aid of search and rescue crews, who warned that journeying over the sands could be a "fatal mistake".

Around 20 people a year have to be pulled out by Burnham-on-Sea Search and Rescue services.

Last year a taxi driver was rescued from his Ford Mondeo by passers-by after he drove onto the beach and was trapped by the incoming tide.

To show how easy it is for a car to become trapped by the soft sand and mud on the beach, an ITV News West Country reporter drove their car on the beach in front of search and rescue teams.

The vehicle only went a few metres before it became stuck:

[**Watch the video of the rescue on ITV West Country**](Family rescued after car gets stuck on beach http://www.itv.com/news/west/update/2014-03-10/family-rescued-after-car-gets-stuck-on-beach/)