TWO women and three children taking a walk on marshes had to be rescued after they became cut off from dry land.

The group, who come from Hoo, near Rochester, crossed a creek at nearby Allhallows using a concrete wall but found it was under water when they tried to return at around 3.45pm on Saturday.

One of the women tried to walk back to land but found the water level was too high and phoned the emergency services.

Firefighters from Strood, Grain and Sheppey supported by a Kent Fire and Rescue Service boat and Land Rover were called to rescue the group just before 4pm.

The stranded group, which included two dogs, two young boys and a girl, were unable to tell firefighters their exact location. But the rescue crews managed to spot them with help from a coastguard helicopter and pair of binoculars.

Crews were unable to get their lorries within half a mile of the group so a Land Rover carrying mud rescue equipment was used to get closer.

Firefighters eventually found a concrete wall by which they could reach the group and carried the children and pets to safety wearing protective water boots. The adults were also escorted on to dry land.

Fire service sub officer Alan Monk said: “It could have been very serious if darkness had fallen as it was quite hard to spot the group and their phone had stopped working. The tide was particularly high that afternoon.

“The emergency services worked well together to find the family who we were able to lead to safety across a waist-deep creek.

“The group were very cold and shocked and were given first aid blankets but did not need hospital treatment,” he added.