Woman saved with dogs felt like 'biggest fool'

A woman has said she felt like the "biggest fool" after being rescued alongside her two dogs when they were cut off by a rising tide.

Hannah Murphy was picked up from the beach at West Wittering in West Sussex by a lifeboat crew from Hayling Island, Hampshire, on Saturday morning.

Hannah told the BBC she abandoned an attempt to wade through waist-deep water and managed to call 999 while she waited on a sandbank.

The Coastguard has warned others to be careful in the area.

Hannah said she was not a regular walker at Wittering but had "come for a change of scenery".

She explained that she started to walk back to shore and realised the tide had come in behind her.

"I tried wading through the deeper channel but once it got to waist-height decided it was too deep to continue," she said. "I felt like the biggest fool."

The crew were able to escort Hannah and her pets back to the lifeboat.

RNLI Hayling Island said it was the first time it had launched an all female crew, and that this had coincided with International Women's Day.

Selsey Coastguard has warned others to avoid getting themselves into dangerous situations at the beach.

"The sand bars at West Wittering Beach go out a long way at low tide," said its spokesperson.

"When the tide changes it races in and its easy to get cut off quickly, the currents are extremely strong. Do not attempt to cross or enter the water."