A red-faced lifeguard had to be rescued when he was caught out by the tide while driving his 4x4.

Onlookers gathered round to see the embarrassed guard as he tried to rescue his sinking vehicle at around 4.45pm yesterday.

The lifeguard desperately tried to rev the engine to free the 4x4 to no avail and it was engulfed by the incoming tide at Redcar, Cleveland.

Two good samaritans waded out to help as it became cleat that the 4x4 was in serious trouble

The car could have been lost altogether save for the actions of two bystanders who waded out to push the stricken vehicle back onto dry land

A crowd of about 15 members of the public gathered to watch the drama unfold  and could not help but show their delight with a round of applause when the motor was finally recovered.

Retired steelworker, Terry Nichol, 67, captured the incident on camera as he  went for an afternoon stroll with his wife, Catherine, and daughter, Kay Coverdale, along The Stray beach at Redcar.

Try it with the handbrake off: A little bit of old-fashioned brawn gets the stranded car moving

Terry, who lives off West Dyke Road in Redcar, said: 'It all happened very  quickly. It must have been very soft sand because the car slowly started sinking down.'

'He was trying to rev it out and these two guys came along and started pushing  but it was not going anywhere.'

'Eventually it started moving and people on the promenade were clapping.

To rousing cheers the lifeguard's car made it back to dry land: Although it might take a few calls to find a a garage that can get fish out of the footwell

"He was there for about 10 minutes I think.'

'If it had been there another 10 minutes or so, if it had electrics in the car,  it would have been it.'

'He was lucky to get out.'

'I think the lifeguard is going to be a bit red-faced.'

Terry, who used to work for British Steel, said he thought the lifeguard could  have been forced to drive around breakers in the sand towards the sea and left  it too late as the tide came in.

A spokesman for Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, who run the beach  lifeguard service, said: 'It was unfortunate for the vehicle to become stuck in  the sea, but we are very grateful for the assistance of those who helped to  free it.'