A MAN was saved from a watery grave after he became trapped on an isolated mud bank beside the River Ouse near York.

Rescuers said he was lucky a passing British Waterways boat crew saw him and raised the alarm, as the stretch of river where he was found is seldom used at this time of year.

Alan Daniel and Ken Murray were on their way from Selby to moor their Sea Warrior patrol launch at Naburn for the winter when they spied him on the slippery slope at Acaster Selby yesterday.

He had been in the river before crawling to the bank, but his sodden clothes made it difficult for him to get out. He was out of sight from any passers-by and the nearest houses.

Knee-deep in mud, the man later said he had been lying there for about an hour.

"I thought it was a bag of rags," said Mr Daniel. "It was only when he looked at us that we realised it was a body."

Mr Daniel called 999 as his colleague lifted the man as far up the embankment as he could.

Mr Murray said: "He was trying to get out, but couldn't because of the weight of the water in his clothes. I got him so far up the bank, but couldn't lift him any further. He was a dead weight."

During their efforts to help the man ashore the Sea Warrior ran aground and the crew had to wait for the tide to rise to free their boat.

A fire service spokesman said the alarm was raised at 2.20pm and a crew from Tadcaster was sent to the scene. They had just rescued an elderly couple at Cawood, whose car had gone into a water-filled ditch.

Speaking about Acaster Selby incident, the spokesman said: "The man was in the river, although we are not sure how it happened."

Sub-officer Tim Woodhead said: "We pulled him out by fastening a line around his chest. He was a big bloke - about 20 stone - and probably in his mid-30s. He seemed grateful we were here. He was cold, tired and knee-deep in mud."

Firefighter John Colquhoun said: "The guy said he had been in about an hour. He couldn't get out of the mud. It was so slippery he kept falling back.

"The British Waterways officers came by and saw him. He was lucky. I am not aware of there being any river traffic there at this time of year."

The man has not been named, but it is believed he works in York.

A North Yorkshire Police spokesman said: "We attended the incident together with the emergency services. The man was rescued, suffering from mild hyperthermia and was taken to York Hospital for treatment."

Updated: 09:45 Thursday, December 09, 2004