A DISTRESSED family had to be rescued after two cars got stuck on The Strood Causeway.

A family-of-four, including little girls aged just one and two, got stuck in the high spring tide on the way to visit family on Mersea Island.

They had followed a pick-up truck in trying to cross when both got stuck in the rising water just before 2.30pm today.

The family were rescued by a West Mersea RNLI crew after about 45minutes with an ambulance and four fire crews, from Colchester, West Mersea and Brightlingsea also called out.

See the full story in Tuesday's Gazette.