A group of girls had to be rescued from the River Medway after they got stuck in the mud.
Coastguards were called out at 3.16pm yesterday (Sunday) after a passing police rigid inflatable boat (RIB) spotted the four girls struggling near to Medway Valley Park and the M2 Bridge.
Medway Coastguard deputy station officer Richard Rodgers said the girls ended up stuck in the mud after 'messing’ around in it and believed they were unable to call for help as they had no credit on their mobile phones.
Mr Rodgers said that the girls, who were playing out of public view, would probably not have been seen unless the police boat has been going down the river. It took the team half an hour to extract the four of them from the mud.
He said: “They were fortunate that they were spotted. The tide was coming in and it was two hours before dark and they were out of public view. If the boat hadn’t seen them I don’t know what would have happened.”
The parents were called to the scene and were taken with the girls, who were suffering from the early stages of hypothermia, to Medway Maritime Hospital by ambulance.
Mr Rodgers said: “The mud may look safe but it is very dangerous. People should know that they can still diall 999 without having any credit on their phone.”