Winter weather can often be more difficult for heavy equipment, as the combination of snow, ice and damp conditions can create some rather treacherous muddy terrain that is easy to get caught in.

This was unfortunately the case for a poor mini excavator in Essex, which managed to get trapped in the pond it was attempting to dredge after the mud sunk the digger beyond the caterpillar tracks.

Many construction sites are going to have difficult terrain, prevention is better than cure, and in most cases, heavy equipment is designed to handle this, but if your excavator does get stuck, here are some top tips for getting out.

Alongside having a towing vehicle to hand, also make sure you have any chains, straps or cables you need to tow your equipment out and ensure that anything you use is strong enough to tow your machinery without breaking. Snapped cables could become a significant hazard.

Similarly, try to dig out the tyres or tracks if at all possible.

Anything that can be removed from the cab should be removed, including the operator, excess tools, equipment and any components that can be removed separately.

The lighter your excavator is, the easier it will be to pull out of the mud.

One piece of received wisdom on the construction site that is very much incorrect is that the towing cables should be spread out on the vehicle in order to reduce the tension when in practice it makes the recovery equipment less effective.

Make sure all tow ropes are flat, have no knots in them and are connected in one place to the excavator and in another place to the vehicle doing the tow.

This also encourages straight-line towing, which is the only way to maximise the amount of power the towing vehicle has.