Mother and Daughter Rescued from Quicksand in Southend

A mother and her young daughter were rescued from waist-deep quicksand at Three Shells Lagoon in Southend, Essex, on March 10, after the pair became trapped while the tide was rising. The incident, captured on CCTV footage around 5:20 p.m., unfolded when the girl sank knee-deep into the wet sand while playing near the lagoon, prompting her mother to rush to her aid only to become stuck herself meters away.

Lorry driver Adrian Pikula, who was walking nearby with his own daughter, heard the child's cries and alerted staff at the adjacent Adventure Island theme park. Four employees from the park's workshop team responded immediately, bringing ropes to secure around the pair. They first pulled the girl to safety before dragging the mother across the sand to firmer ground, ensuring no one else entered the hazardous area. Another staff member contacted the Coastguard during the operation. No injuries were reported, and the mother and daughter were unharmed.

The wet sand, recently placed by Southend-on-Sea City Council as part of maintenance work, formed a pocket of quicksand—a mixture of sand, water, and clay that liquefies under weight, making escape difficult without assistance....