EMERGENCY services descended on Hest Bank within minutes when a tractor, laden with cocklers, ground to a halt on the sands.

With the tide coming in fast, Morecambe's RNLI hovercraft raced towards the scene off Priest Skear at about 1pm today (Thursday).

Lancashire ambulance service's rapid response car and two ambulances arrived shortly afterwards along with local police.

But the tractor managed to move on without any help and take its trailer, which was carrying cocklers, to safety.

Cllr Keith Budden, chairman of Bolton-le-Sands parish council, who watched the rescue bid, said people soon realised it was a false alarm, but added: "In view of what happened last week they took the view to call people out."

He said the gears on the tractor had become momentarily stuck.

"The hovercraft was here just before 1pm and did a good sweep of the bay. They came over to the shore and spoke to the cocklers about the situation."

Zephyrine Barbarachild, from Lancaster, said: "The tide was coming in like a bat out of hell."

The alert was raised shortly after three Buddhist high priests had conducted a memorial ceremony at Red Bank to bring peace to the souls of the 19 Chinese cocklers who died last Thursday.