Quicksand warning for Northumberland beaches

Paul Stott rescued his dog Dave after it became trapped in sand on Seaton Sluice Beach in Northumberland.

Visitors to the Northumberland Coast are being urged to take extra care around patches of quicksand on some beach areas.

Areas of soft sand have appeared on parts of Cambois, Seaton Sluice and Druridge Bay beaches, which could be potentially dangerous to people and animals.

Quicksand is not obvious to the eye and there is generally little or no warning of the transition from firm sand to quicksand.

Pockets of quicksand can develop for a number of reasons, both natural and man made, and do not always stay in the same positions after each high tide.

If a visitor becomes stuck in soft ground or if they become exhausted from wading through soft ground, they can be at risk from the incoming tide.

When moving to free themselves from the soft ground, casualties can create a vacuum underneath their feet and around the leg which prevents escape.

One immediate measure that can be taken to prevent the casualty sinking further is to sit on the surface of the quicksand to distribute weight and reduce further risk to injured casualties.

Northumberland County Council is supporting the safety messages from the Coastguard, and is also placing some signs in car parks at Seaton Sluice to alert visitors to the possible dangers.

If you get stuck in quicksand or notice someone in difficulty, call 999 and ask for the Coast Guard.

The Coast Guard have special techniques and practices designed to cope with mud, sand and quicksand to rescue anyone that is in difficulty.