A RESCUE operation, which cost at least £10,000, was launched to save a man who got stuck in mud – four feet from the end of a pier.

The man, who is thought to have been drinking, was described by his rescuers as being "incoherent" as he struggled to get out of the River Medway mud.

A full-scale operation was launched on Friday night because the man was unable to confirm whether anyone was with him. Emergency services believed others might be trapped.

The man suffered minor injuries and was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital as a precaution.

The rescue, at Sun Pier near Chatham town centre, involved:

* An RAF rescue helicopter, which made a 200-mile round trip from its base at £5,000 an hour;
* Firefighters from two stations;
* A specialist mud-rescue

team;
* Coastguards;
* Police;
* An ambulance crew.

* See Monday's Medway Messenger for further details.