AN 11-YEAR-OLD boy was saved from sinking in waist-deep mud after his pals used their glowing mobile phones to guide rescuers in the darkness.

The child was stuck fast in the freezing mud when crews eventually managed to pull him to safety.

Hero fireman Mark Donohue took inspiration from TV action man Bear Grylls when he waded into the pool, spreading his weight across the treacherous surface to stop himself sinking.

The dramatic rescue happened last night when five youngsters took a shortcut across open ground off Sinderland Road, Altrincham.

The group had spent the evening playing and were heading home when one of the boys became trapped up to his knees in a pool of mud. His worried pals tried to drag him out but quickly dialled 999 for help as he continued to sink past his thighs.

Fire service operators warned them to stay clear of the danger area and instructed them to use the blue screens of their mobile phones to guide rescuers to the spot, close to a council-run tip.

When three fire engines arrived at around 8.15pm, they were met at the site entrance by two of the youths and a team of four fighters raced to the trapped youngster, while others prepared the rescue equipment.

One of the firemen tried to approach the boy but sank to his knees in the mud.

But Mark, who is watch commander of Altrincham fire station, remembered a recent television programme in which survival expert Grylls showed how spread his weight across the water.

By sliding onto his hands and knees he was able to grab hold of the trapped child and drag him to firm ground.

He told the MEN: "The boys had been playing in woods nearby and had decided to take a shortcut. They had been told to use their phones so we could spot them. A couple of lads met us at the entrance and we could see where their mates were.

"The land may have been used for quarrying in the past and they boy was trapped in a pool of sandy mud. He had spent some time in there already and was cold and distressed.

"Although we get training rescuing people using equipment, I had seen this programme on television where the guy managed to spread his weight and move over the water."

The boy, who spent 50 minutes in the freezing water, was wrapped in a foil blanket to keep him warm and was taken to Wythenshawe Hospital suffering from hypothermia.

Father-of-two Mark, 36, said that the youngster was minutes away from serious harm.

He said: "His friends were worried that they would get in trouble but they did the right thing by phoning 999 as quickly as they did.

"If they had spent longer trying to get him out on their own, he would have sunk further and his core temperature would have dropped. It could have been very serious."