A GRANDMOTHER who was left unable to move after becoming trapped in mud had to be rescued by firefighters.

On-call firefighters from Wethersfield and Thaxted were called to Little Bardfield Road, Little Bardfield, shortly before 3.10pm on Friday.

Upon arrival crews discovered a woman in her seventies who was stuck in a muddy field, having saved her grandchildren from a similar situation.

Station manager Darren Driscoll said: "The woman was walking with her grandsons across fields when the boys, aged seven and nine, became stuck in mud.

"She helped them out but then got stuck herself; one of her legs was trapped up to the top of her thigh and she couldn't move."

Due to the woman being unable to give her precise location, it initially took the first-responding crews ten minutes to find her.

Firefighters therefore decided to use What3Words to direct the urban search and rescue team to the remote location, which was a quarter of a mile from the road. 

The USAR team used a triple extension ladder, inflatable sled and sand lance, which creates air pockets in the mud, to free the woman, which they were done by 4.30pm.

Mr Driscoll added: "I'd like to praise the initial crews for putting everything in place to make sure the USAR team was able to carry out a really effective rescue.

"The woman was cold but soon regained the feeling in her legs after being freed."

What3words, used, is a free smartphone app that helps people easily and accurately describe their location.

The app developers have broken the world down into trillions of three metre by three metre squares, each with a unique three-word address.

These three words can then be used to pinpoint locations more accurately and are therefore used by the likes of the Essex Fire Service.

Mr Driscoll has now urged everyone to download the What3Words app to help emergency services find remote locations more quickly.

He said: "Make sure you are aware of your surroundings.

"You never know what the ground is like under mud, snow or wet ground and you could easily get stuck, so please take extra care.

"If you are a farmer or landowner, please consider fencing off any potentially hazardous areas that walkers could access." 

To download the What3Words app visit what3words.com.