A WOMAN who got herself stuck in mud up to her waist sparked a coastguard operation on the Isle of Wight. 

The Bembridge Coastguard Rescue Team was called out to Ryde Harbour, on the Esplanade, to help free the woman, after the alarm was raised with Solent Coastguard at 1.20pm yesterday (Saturday). 

They assisted the Ventnor Coastguard Rescue team and the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Air Ambulance in the operation.

Although the woman was able to get herself out of the thick mud, Bembridge Coastguard volunteers were concerned enough about her condition to take her to St Mary's Hospital, Newport, to get checked over.

A Bembridge Coastguard Rescue Team spokesperson gave this advice to anyone in this kind of situation: "If you do get trapped (in mud), sit back to spread your weight evenly across the surface."