A CAR believed to have a family inside became stranded while trying to cross a causeway during rising tides prompting a rescue mission.

Emergency services - including a coastguard crew which led the operation - were called to Quay Lane, Kirby-le-Soken, at about 4pm on Thursday.

Eyewitnesses reported seeing fire engines, ambulances, police cars and it has been suggested lifeboat crew members also attended.

The reason for the emergency response came after a vehicle got stuck on the flooded causeway leading to Horsey Island and the Hamford Nature Reserve.

Tilly Watts, 17, was out walking with her friend towards the backwaters when she spotted the blue flashing lights.

She said: “There must have been about ten to 12 fire engines, police cars, unmarked police cars and ambulances all with their blue flashing lights on.

“We were shocked and we were confused because we were worried something serious must have happened for all the emergency services to be sent out.

“As we got closer there was two fire engines down Island Lane blocking anyone from going down and an unmarked police car rushed down to the end of the road followed by an ambulance.

“We got told we were not allowed to walk near the backwaters.

“Everyone was just confused as lots of vehicles went down the lane.”

Simon Whitehouse, who has lived in Walton for eight years, is a former coastguard officer.

He now works as a boat builder in Kirby-le-Soken not far from where the incident took place.

He said: “From where I work there is a view of the whole of the backwaters.

“My colleague and I heard quite a lot of sirens and we could see numerous emergency vehicles at the end of Island Lane, with more moving towards the backwaters.

“I did hear from one of the local fishermen, a couple with a child in a car, thought to be day trippers not familiar with the area, had tried to drive across the Wade to Horsey Island and got stuck.

“I was told that the island owner had pulled the car out with a tractor, on to the island, but they had then tried to walk back to the mainland and got stuck again on the causeway, this time on foot, and on a rising tide.

“But that is second hand.”

A spokeswoman for the East of England Ambulance Service has since confirmed no-one was injured as a result of the incident and no-one needed treatment.

She added: “No-one required transporting to hospital.”