A RESCUE operation was launched after a car became stuck in sand off the coast of Wirral.

The driver and two passengers were trying to reach Hilbre Island off West Kirby, but a rapidly-rising tide forced them to abandon their vehicle half a mile from Middle Eye, a small island near Hilbre.

Hoylake Lifeboat was alerted by Liverpool Coastguard shortly after 8.15pm on Friday but the occupants had already left the Nissan Navaro 4x4 and were wading towards the shore.

The three, described as “wet and distressed” were taken back to dry land by West Kirby Lifeboat.

Hoylake’s Tractor Bravo was already out responding to a call about a group of suspected illegal cockle pickers using quad bikes on sand banks near Red Rocks.

Steve Armitage of Hoylake Lifeboat said: “By the time we got there the people were already out of the vehicle and were walking ashore.

“They were very lucky because the tide surrounded them very quickly. The car is still there stuck in the sand.”

A spokesman for Liverpool Coastguard said: “It appears they weren’t familiar with the area and were heading out towards Hilbre to meet somebody, but managed to get stuck.”

Merseyside Police said there was no evidence the eight men on quad bikes were cockle picking and their details had been passed to the Environment Agency.