Both machines are owned by contractor M J Church and formed part of an earth moving team carrying out sand reprofiling works.

The digger was sent in to help the truck when it got stuck in the sand.

The tipper was freed before high tide but the digger was stuck fast and flooded by water overnight.

M J Church told the Weston Mercury: “Two vehicles moving sand on the beach got stuck – the larger vehicle was successfully recovered but the other one could not be retrieved before last night’s high tide.”

North Somerset Council said attempts to rescue the digger were still underway.