STEPS taken to make Morecambe Bay's treacherous sands a safer place to work are inadequate and will not safeguard against another disaster, a cross bay expert has warned.
According to Morecambe Bay guide Alan Sledmore, little has changed since the tragedy on February 5 last year when 23 Chinese cockle pickers perished after becoming trapped by the rising tide near Hest Bank.
Chillingly, Mr Sledmore predicted the sad scenario three months before it happened in October 2003 when he pressed via the Gazette for a registration system. He told the newspaper there was a tragedy waiting to happen in the Bay, with inexperienced cocklers most at risk.
One year on, despite the Gangmasters Bill, which is set to come into force in April and means gangmasters can only operate with a licence and under guidelines issued by the Health and Safety Executive, Mr Sledmore believes not enough has been done.
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