A rescue hovercraft picked its way through mud and gullies to pluck four people to safety from a sandbank in the Wash.

Hunstanton RNLI launched its hovercraft after reports that an adult and three teenaged girls were stranded on Trial Bank, off the River Nene, at 2.45pm on Thursday.

The group had been for a walk on the marshes and found themselves in difficulty due to the muddy terrain and called UK Coastguard for assistance after walking to Trial Bank for refuge.

An RNLI spokesman said the craft had some difficulty managing the network of gullies and muddy terrain but the crew was able to rescue the group and take them to the lighthouse at Sutton Bridge.

The man and three teenagers were taken into the care of the local coastguard response team.

The “very muddy” vessel returned to the station at 8pm.

The RNLI team also helped a family following concerns for a women who had fallen near to Holme-next-to-the-Sea.

A RNLI spokesman said: “Whilst this was going on a man and his daughter came to the boathouse and informed a member of the crew that his wife had fallen and suspected she had broken her ankle.

“The daughter was left in the care of the boathouse, while crew accompanied the gentleman back to his wife. She was located nearer to Holme.

“The local coastguard response team were requested and an ambulance. The lady was transported by the coastguard to the ambulance at Holme, and taken to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.”