Rail workers were involved in a dramatic rescue to save a dog stuck fast in thick mud.

Harvey – a 13-year-old golden retriever – got firmly wedged in the banks of the River Colne as he dashed for a swim in the water.

A man and his grandchild – who took these pictures and sent us them via i-witness@nqe.com – saw the pet run away from his owner and become lodged in the quagmire.

They were on the Wivenhoe Trail, walking alongside the river, when they witnessed the incident on Monday.

The grandfather went to get help from six rail engineers working on the track nearby.

One of the workers volunteered to get Harvey, who suffers from arthritis in his back legs.

The other rescuers gathered planks, pallets and branches to lay across the sinking mud so he could reach the dog.

An eyewitness said: “He [the rail worker] had to take his boots off, otherwise he would get stuck himself.

“He was very lucky as there was lots of nails on the old timbers.”

It took about 45 minutes to free Harvey.