Can anyone say where quicksand or sinking sand (as we sometimes called it) areas are along the Wirral coast ?

There have been reports apart from them being at New Brighton of them also at Hoylake, Thurstaston, Harrison Drive.

Crosby, Liverpool is another place, where the iron men are.

I wonder if there is any signage to make people aware. There used to be huge signs on beaches, they couldn't be missed.

My father spoke about witnessing a horse and cart going down in it at New Brighton , which must have been almost a century ago.

After seeing the rescue on TV of a young lad in Morecambe yesterday, it is a real worry and people should be very aware.

Thanks

Egremont/ Seacombe by the tide breakers.

The quicksand areas move around a bit so it is not always an exact science.Thursaston, Hoylake and New Brighton heading to Egremont can be dodgy.The important thing to watch for is incoming tides which can cut you off if you are not watchful.

The sludge either side of the groynes at Meols/Hoylake has caught quite a few people out over the years. There are also several areas around West Kirby and Hilbre you need to be careful of. Only head to Hilbre from West Kirby and follow the directions on the signposts there. There is supposedly a more direct route but the ranger advises against it.

There's a lot of mud under the first couple of inches of sand all down the Dee Estuary.

How much you sink into it depends on how long its been after high tide, as the water drains. I've walked to Tanskey Rocks and due west of Little Eye and Little Hilbre and you sink about 4-6 inches into the mud.

I think the dredging of the shipping channels of the Dee and Mersey altered the sands, so maybe occurrences in the past won't happen again.

I don't know if it is any comfort, but the nonsense you see in films about people sinking into quicksands until you vanish is simply not going to happen.

The human body has a density a trifle less that of water in which you will float. Quicksand or mud will have a much higher density than that and you will float quite well in it.

The danger is that your legs will sink into it and you will get stuck. You may then be delayed long enough to be cut off when the tide comes in and that is, of course, bad news.

If you DO get your feet stuck, then the trick is to lie down and roll yourself to firmer ground. Messy, but it will work. You will certainly not sink without trace.