A dog has been rescued after getting stuck in the mud in Herne Bay last night.

Two-year-old Irish setter Rufus had gone out into the silt off the Neptune's Arm when the tide was out just after 6.30pm.

His owner Joseph Marsh saw his dog had become stranded and called 999.

Fire crews from Whitstable and Herne Bay made the rescue - using inflatable mud paths and pulling Rufus from his predicament quickly with the tide beginning to turn.

He was then given a wash down on the seafront.

Mr Marsh said: "The crews who arrived did an amazing job and were quickly able to bring Rufus back to safety.

"He was absolutely covered in mud, but he's fine now and I can't thank the crews enough for the way they dealt with the situation."

He added: “Rufus was running around enjoying himself as usual, chasing seagulls at low tide, when he disappeared from view.

"I tried calling him but there was no response and I realised something was wrong.

"I found him at the end of Neptune's Arm, but he’d become stuck and was obviously in distress.

"Although I wanted to rush in and help, I knew this could end in disaster so I called for the fire service.

"He was absolutely covered in mud but he’s fine now and doesn’t seem any worse for his adventures.”

Kent Fire and Rescue Service station manager David Brown, who was at the scene, said: "We're really glad that Mr Marsh called us when he did as Rufus was really bogged down.

"Without the mud paths there would have been no way to reach him before the tide came back in.

"This is a good example of a member of the public doing the right thing in an extremely difficult situation.

"All of the firefighters involved in this rescue did a great job and there was relief all round when Rufus was finally back with his owner."