A man and his dog had a narrow escape from sinking sand when they became trapped during a river walk at the weekend.

Jonathan Powell, a truck dealer from Stroud, was walking with partner Benita Pukyte and their five dogs along the banks of the River Severn when tragedy nearly struck.

It was on Saturday evening at 6.30pm that Jonathan, 33, decided to make the most of the evening light for a walk along the sand at Arlingham Passage.

"I've been walking there for many years and as I always do, I checked the tide times before setting off," Jonathan said via a sensational Facebook post recounting the events that ensued.

"The tide was out, the sand dry and it was about 45 minutes into the walk when Bella seemed to fall into what we thought was the river," he wrote.

Suddenly the couple were horrified to realise that not only was their beloved dog not moving, but was sinking perilously into "a huge area of sinking sand."

Jonathan desperately tried to reach the dog but found himself trapped in the perilous mud and also sinking at an alarming rate.

He screamed to his partner, Benita to run for help.

"Don't move baby, you need to help dad, listen to dad," Jonathan called over and over to reassure his dog as he feared for the worst.

Luckily, Benita, after running for nearly a mile, was given rope at The Old Passage Inn at Arlingham riverfront which Jonathan tied to his leg.

"I crawled out to Bella on my belly, but within seconds the sand was covering me and I crawled back in panic," Jonathan recalled as it dawned on him that Benita alone was not going to be strong enough to pull him out of the sand.

Luckily, at that moment Sean Lomas was en-route for a drink at the Red Lion pub with his partner, Sadie, when he heard screams and ran out to see what was going on.

The burly 30-year-old, who has recently moved to Frampton on Severn from Leeds, had exactly the strength Jonathan could rely on as he crawled back out to tie the rope around Bella.

But the dog was so stuck by the glue-like mud that she "didn't budge an inch," even when both men pulled on the rope.

"Bella was terrified, she could see the panic in me, and I realised I need to crawl back out to try and grapple with the sand once more," Jonathan continued.

Mustering all his strength and courage, Jonathan went back into the sinkhole for one last ditch attempt as sand and water started to cover his and Bella's shoulders.

Luckily, he managed to pull his beloved dog free, as Sean pulled them to safety far away from the grasp of the sinking mud.

As heand his dog lay exhausted on the sand, Jonathan broke down in tears.

"The emotion hit me, I couldn't move from my knees, but thank you to Sean for being there and reminding me that all was now well, that we had saved her."

"Without Sean's help and my partner running to find the rope, Bella wouldn't be here today," Jonathan adds.

"There is no way I could of made it all the way to Bella if I hadn't had the security of knowing I was safe in Sean's hands, giving me the power I needed to pull my girl from the sand."

Jonathan says he will "never walk the river at Arlingham Passage again" and advises others to stick to the footpath along the riverfront.

"It never crossed my mind such a thing could happen to me. We sometimes never see danger until it becomes reality."

"Please, people, stay off the sand," Jonathan urges.

Jonathan and Bella were very lucky but it could have been so very different.

Jonathan hopes to meet his rescuer for a celebratory drink and dog walk later this week.

Writing about the incident on Facebook Chepstow Coastguard said: "We are relieved to hear that a quicksand incident over the weekend near Arlingham on the River Severn resulted in a successful self-rescue.

"Our coast and rivers are beautiful and we really want everyone to enjoy our beautiful outdoors safely.

"In a coastal or tidal river emergency please DIAL 999 and ask for COASTGUARD.

"We have Coastguard mud and quicksand rescue teams for the River Severn who will respond with specialist equipment to rescue people and pets.

"We are in touch with local agencies regarding safety signage in the area, with temporary signage planned before the weekend."