A TEENAGE girl had to be rescued from Hythe Quay when she knelt on a rusty knife hidden in the mud.
Natasha Layley, 14, had been cleaning barnacles from the bottom of a boat with some friends when the seven-inch knife pierced her leg.
She spent two and a half hours in the mud while paramedics gave her gas, air and morphine to relieve the pain. Six ambulance workers then hauled her up the steps without disturbing the embedded knife, which had to be surgically removed at Broomfield Hospital in Chelmsford.
An RAF Sea King helicopter was also sent to the rescue and a man abseiled down to try to help Natasha.
Two fire crews from Maldon and one from Colchester also helped at the scene.
"It was pretty scary at the time but I'm OK now and although I had to miss V Festival and some of my school holiday I'm starting to feel better," said Natasha, after the dramatic rescue last Wednesday.
It is not clear where the knife came from but it could have been dropped at any time over the years in the area, which is used to work on boats.
Natasha said: "I just flew back instantly and I knew something had happened to me – when I looked down I saw the knife looking back at me, I could feel it wobbling –it was gross.
"I could hear the helicopter and I know it sounds funny but I didn't think that it was for me.
"A man came down the rope but it was better that I was lifted out, it was really tricky getting me out of there," said Natasha, who lives with sister Katie, brother Tom, dad Andy and mum Claire in Fambridge Road.
Katie, 18, who works at the nearby Queen's Head, was quickly on the scene to help her little sister.
"When my sister saw me she just said 'oh Tash, what have you done?'
"After she realised what had happened she was really good and so were all of my friends," said Natasha.
Mother Claire Layley, 48, who works as a therapy rehabilitation supervisor for people who suffer from strokes, said: "Natasha has been amazing, so brave and positive throughout the whole ordeal.
"I was working at St Peter's Hospital so I was there pretty soon.
"I did panic when Katie called to say that Natasha was stuck.
"I automatically thought about the tide coming in but by the time I got there everything was under control and I felt a little better.
"We would like to thank the barge club at Hythe Quay, the paramedics and the staff at Broomfield who were all fantastic," Mrs Layley added.
After three nights in hospital and numerous blood tests, Natasha was sent home to recover with her family.
However, her leg is still wrapped up in bandages and she has to use crutches to walk.
She has been told she will be able to walk unaided in around ten days but is not allowed to take part in any running for four weeks.
