Woman rescued from wheelchair stuck in sand

A woman whose electric wheelchair got stuck in soft sand on a beach as the tide was "rapidly coming in" has been rescued.

Wirral Coastguard Rescue Team went to the stranded woman's aid at New Brighton Beach on Friday.

The team, who were helped by Flint Coastguard, RNLI Hoylake and Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (MFRS), said water was already covering the wheels of the chair when they arrived.

Using a fire service rescue sling, the woman was recovered from the wheelchair and taken safely to shore in RNLI Hoylake's hovercraft, while the Coastguard and MFRS recovered the electric wheelchair from the mud.

Wirral Coastguard Rescue Team thanked members of the public and local fishermen who tried to assist with the rescue.

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