Mud rescue girl, 11: 'I thought I was going to go under'

A PRIMARY school pupil was rescued by firefighters after she sank up to her chest in mud while on a walk with a friend.

Rachel Crossan, 11, of Banknock, Stirlingshire, was terrified she would be consumed by the mud. And she spoke out yesterday to warn other children against straying on to swampy ground.

Rachel said: "It was horrible – I thought I was going to go right under."

She and best friend Kymberly Raffan, from Haggs, had gone for a walk after school on Monday. The Bankier primary pupils packed bags, put on wellies and wandered along a path near the A80 and Forth and Clyde Canal.

They climbed over a fence to explore further, but Rachel ended up in the mud.

As her friend started sinking, Kymberly desperately tried to pull her out, before running for help.

Rachel said: "We had wellies on so we went over a muddy bit, but it wasn't what we expected. The mud came over my knees.

"I thought I'd manage to get out, but I was stuck. Kymberly tried to pull me out with sticks because we were scared she'd get stuck too.

"Next thing I knew the mud was up to my tummy and had a tight grip of me. I thought I was going to go right under – we both started panicking."

Kymberly fetched an elderly couple from a nearby house, but they also got into trouble, so the girl called emergency services, who launched a full-scale rescue.

Firefighters dug Rachel free and transferred her to hospital in Stirling.

A Central Scotland Fire and Rescue Service spokeswoman said Kymberly's quick thinking might have saved her friend's life.

Rachel said: "It took three firemen to get me out. One had a rope on and started to dig me out to free my legs before the others pulled me."

Her mother Vicki, 31, head receptionist at Glenskirlie House Hotel, said: "It was very scary.

Rachel was up to her chest in mud. I just tried to keep her calm until the firefighters could get her out."