THREE men were rescued from mudflats on the River Crouch after jumping from a burning boat.

The Essex fire boat was launched on Thursday December 27 to fight a blaze on a 25ft motor cruiser on the River Crouch, opposite the Creeksea Yacht Club.

Nick Winter, station officer from Burnham fire station, said: "Three men who were on board the burning boat jumped off onto the mud flats and were rescued by a lifeboat and taken to safety at Burnham Harbour."

Mr Winter added: "The burning boat was positioned 150 metres from the shore on the Southside of the river.

"It was hard to access the burning boat as the tide was going out, this was hazardous to the fire boat and crews.

"From the land it had also become too dangerous on the mud flats, so the fire crews and fire boat had to abandon firefighting duties and return to the shore."

The burning boat was left to burn itself out on the mud.

The fire is believed to have started in the engine area.