A man in his 20s was winched to safety after becoming trapped in mud off Sheppey.

The Whitstable RNLI lifeboat and the RAF Sea King helicopter were called to Warden Point at 1.49pm yesterday.

It followed reports that two men were cut off on the beach, with one stuck in the mud.

The helicopter, from Wattisham, winched the man from the mud and landed him on the shore.

But the injured man, who was complaining of back pain, didn't want to be winched into the helicopter, so was put in a basket stretcher with collar, where he was taken to the lifeboat station and then met by an ambulance.

The other man, who had raised the alarm, walked from the scene with coastguard crews.

Lifeboat Helmsman Craig Sidders said: "This is the second incident in recent weeks at the cliffs on Sheppey and follows similar incidents last year at Beltinge, Herne Bay.

"Today’s operation to assist the casualty was a text book affair but our advice to those contemplating walking along the cliffs or shoreline is to be aware of the very dangerous conditions that can occur with soft mud particularly following wet weather."

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