"TRAPPED casualties" were freed from mud during an important training exercise by rescue teams.
Staff and volunteers from Greenock Coastguard Rescue Team and Helensburgh Coastguard Rescue Team took part in the mud rescue at Bowling Harbour, West Dunbartonshire, on Sunday afternoon.
The exercise was led by local senior officers to simulate the safe extraction of people stuck in the mud.
Officers deployed a number of methods to free the trapped casualties, including the use of pressurised oxygen and water to release lower limbs from the mud.
The rescue teams have issued a warning about the dangers of mud.
They said: "The mud flats are extremely dangerous, not only do you risk entrapment and injury, they have a number of hidden hazards and can cause health complications if accidentally ingested. Please avoid entering the mud at all costs.
"In the event of an emergency on a mud flat and a person becomes entrapped, our advice is to stay calm, spread your weight, try to limit movement, call 999 and ask for the coastguard."
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