A MAN had to be rescued by firefighters after getting stuck waist high in a muddy ditch when he climbed out of a van that had left the road.

Crews were called at around 1.12am in the early hours of Tuesday to Bold Lane in Bold after reports of a traffic incident. It is believed he was in collision with a road sign.

Watch manager Peter Nelson from St Helens Community Fire Station who attended the call out explained: “It appears the man became stuck up to his waist in mud after climbing out of the vehicle following the collision.

“We spread the weight of the man using a number of sections of a triple extension ladder and tied a line around the man to help him out of the mud. This situation could have been worse as the man was already cold and wet when we arrived.”

The man was assessed by paramedics and taken to Whiston Hospital for a precautionary check-up.

The Search and Rescue Team also attended the call-out along with the Incident Management Team who were on the scene for just over an hour.

No other vehicle is thought to have been involved.