A DOG walker was buried up to his chest in mud for 90 minutes after following his pet dog on to a drained mill lodge.

Damian McKenna, of Accrington, suffered hypothermia and shock after being trapped in Platt's Lodge off Cotton Street in the Scaitcliffe area of town.

Mr McKenna was taken to Blackburn Royal Infirmary following his ordeal, at 9am on Saturday.

Firefighters said he was walking his pet dog when the animal ran onto the mud.

Mr McKenna is said to have tried to beckon his pet to come back, without success.

It is believed the frosted surface of the lodge gave way as he walked on it to try and retrieve the animal and he sunk up to his chest.

He used a mobile phone to call 999 and firefighters used an inflatable walkway to reach him.

Colin Byers, of Accrington fire station, said that they used a sand lance which loosened up the mud around Mr McKenna.

He added: "The lance liquidised the mud and enabled us to free him. However, he was in the mud for an hour and a half.

"He was burried up to his chest and it happened very quickly. He had only taken a few steps on to the lodge.

"He was suffering from hypothermia and shock and was taken to hospital by paramedics."

Mr McKenna's dog was rescued unharmed.

The council-owned lodge had been drained and fenced off while a concrete bridge is built across it to link part of Hyndburn's cycle path network.

Fis from the lodge have been moved to Haggs Lodge near Asda in Hyndburn Road, Accrington.

Ecological improvements are being made to the lodge while it is drained. These include the planting of more reed beds to promote the breeding of fish.