TWO girls were taken to hospital after getting stuck in a dock in Birkenhead.

Emergency services were called at around 7.15pm on Sunday to Liverpool Victoria Rowing Club at West Float Dock following reports of two girls in the water.

On arrival coastguard officers discovered the girls had got stuck on the dock wall with a steel fence blocking the exit.

Crews from Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service opened a gate and officers with rescue life-jackets, a floating line and throwbag rescued the girls from the water.

Wirral Globe:

The girls were checked by paramedics but were then taken to hospital for further checks.

A spokesman for the Wirral Coastguard Rescue Team said: "Although the two females were safe, if suffering from the effects of cold, this could have had a very different and potentially fatal outcome, docks are not areas to swim in, there can be underwater obstacles and cold water shock can affect the swimmer.

"If you see, or experience an emergency at the coast, ring 999 and ask for the Coastguard."