Police officers had to wade into deep mud to rescue a suspect in St Osyth in the early hours of this morning.

Police were called to the incident, at Orchards Holiday Village shortly before 12.10am, following reports of an assault.

When they arrived, the suspect, a man aged in his 20s, ran from the site and across the beach.

Sgt Jonathan Evans, Pc Jamie Richmond and Sgt Alex Southgate, who were among the officers called to the scene, searched the beach.

The police helicopter located the man hiding in the marshes.

Sgt Southgate said as officers approached the marshes, the suspect waded out into deep mud before getting stuck up to his waist.

He added: “Pc Richmond and I waded out into the mud to detain him and prevent him from sinking further.

“We were able to get the male back to the marshes but due to the onset of hypothermia, he collapsed and due to his size, sat heavy in the mud.”

Coastguards arrived shortly after 1.20am but it was still difficult to move the man.

Firefighters arrived ten minutes later and working together, the emergency services managed to get him to a waiting ambulance by 2am and he was taken to hospital.

An Essex Police spokeswoman said enquiries are ongoing.