THE bank holiday weekend again proved busy for Burnham's vital rescue services – the worst case involving two boys and a man trapped on Brean beach mudflats.

Despite repeated warnings about the mud, a beach warden spotted the three, aged 12, 14 and 23, trapped knee-deep hundreds of metres from shore at about 7.15pm on Monday, August 30.

Coastguards alerted Burnham's hovercraft rescue charity BARB after the trio from Bridgwater and North Petherton failed to respond to the warden's calls to come back to the beach with the fast incoming tide around them.

Both Burnham lifeboats and even a rescue helicopter were called shortly afterwards.

Ian Jeffries, Burnham coastguard officer, said: "One of the youngster's family was frantic and given the incoming tide and falling light, this was potentially a very serious situation."

Two coastguard mud rescue team members waded to the trio and guided them safely across the mudflats to the beach.

BARB's Spirit of Lelaina and Light of Elizabeth hovercrafts were taken by road to the scene ready for launch, while the lifeboats and helicopter were stood down soon after launching.

A Burnham RNLI spokesman said: "The tide was in full flood so no effort was spared in reaching the casualties, but both lifeboats were stood down at 7.42pm by Swansea Coastguard Control, and returned to Burnham beach for recovery and wash down by the lifeboat station volunteer shore team."

A BURNHAM lifeboat was called to a grounded 21ft yacht in the River Brue.

The yacht was seen sailing into the river having trouble manoeuvring in harsh winds and had grounded itself on the river's lee shore on Sunday morning, August 29.

The lifeboat was being recovered by its crew after a training session so was diverted to help the troubled vessel.

The crew acted fast and towed the stricken vessel from the mud to mooring pontoons.

Burnham RNLI operations manager Ricky Holmes said: "Due to the dropping tide, had the yacht not been assisted at the time, there was a strong chance it could have stayed aground until September 6 at the earliest."

A VAN owner needed at least eight people to help push after his vehicle got stuck on Burnham beach on Monday, August 30.

The driver was trying to retrieve a jet ski when he got into difficulty, but witnesses say the van got stuck on the soft sand.

Fortunately a group of holidaymakers helped push the heavy vehicle free as the tide crept closer.

A similar marked vehicle got trapped in a similar position last year – but was swamped by the sea.