Slick operation by council leads to retrieval of car stranded in mud for almost a week

                                            

Dawn was just breaking today as the 'rescue' was undertaken 

A 4x4 car stuck in mud off Cleethorpes for almost a week was retrieved in the early hours of this morning after North East Lincolnshire Council decided the time had come for urgent action.

The authority had hoped the vehicle's owner - who has not been named - would take responsibility for its retrieval.

But after inaction for almost a week, the council did the job for him.

However, it will have been an extremely operation, and the owner will be told to foot the bill.

A spokesperson for NELC said: "We brought in  specialists contractors to carry out recovery of the vehicle.

"It was then taken away by a salvage company. 

The team also ensured they had equipment at hand to deal with any potential spills of polluting oil which could have affected shorebirds and other marine creatures.

However, so spills were reported.

Council environmental supremo Chris Dunn said: "We planned the operation to ensure there was a low tide and at a time of the day - very early morning - when there were no visitors on the beach.

"All the necessary health and safety measures were followed, and we are pleased the operation was successful."

NELC’s portfolio holder for tourism, Cllr Hayden Dawkins praised all those involved.

He added: "Our hope earlier this week had been  that the vehicle owner would have taken responsibility  and arranged for the vehicle to be removed -  that is what we all wanted. 

"When this did not happen, we took the decision to remove the vehicle. 

"The last thing any of us wanted was for visitors, many of them families, to come to the beach and look out to see an abandoned vehicle stuck on the shore."                                   

It doesn't look in bad nick considering its ordeal - the retrieved car

The sorrowful scene earlier in the week