HARD-UP families in China whose loved ones drowned off Morecambe's coast now face the ordeal of finding money to fly their bodies home.

Lancaster detectives who visited China to gather DNA samples to confirm identities of the dead cocklers, say tearful relatives were worried about the financial burden.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Brunskill, who led a team of eight on the 14-day trip, said: "These families are quite poor and paying for the repatriation is something they are concerned about.

"They are making claims for compensation, and are linking the two together. These are issues that need to be discussed further between the Chinese and British governments."

But he said: "I don't think the families know who to claim from. If there is a criminal conviction, there's an avenue there."

He added: "It is absolutely devastating the people who came over were the main bread-winners for that family. They had to borrow money to send people over here in the first place."

He said several victims had young children. "The families wanted to know who was responsible," he told a press conference in Lancaster. They couldn't understand how this could happen in this country. As far as they were aware, fishing permits had been issued so they were entitled to be out there working, and so someone must have been responsible for them."

Lancaster Police now have the names of all those who died on February 5.

DNA from relatives will take up to three weeks to be processed. Details will then be passed to the coroner. Inquests are expected to be held within weeks.

Among the victims were 17 men and three women, aged between 18 and 40.

The 21st body, believed to be male, was washed up off Bolton-le-Sands last week.

Another two are still missing one is believed to be a woman whose husband was another victim.

DCI Brunskill said some of the cocklers had been working in the Bay for days, others months. He would not be drawn on whether the visit had revealed any new leads for the investigation into the tragedy.

l Lancaster Police have confirmed that they believe the decomposed body found in Morecambe Bay was one of the missing Chinese cocklers who drowned on February 5. A post-mortem examination confirmed that the body was male and that the cause of death was drowning.

Detective Chief Inspector Steve Brunskill said: "At this stage, it is too early to give a positive identification but we think we know who he is through documentation found on his body. I have spoken to colleagues in China and they will be talking to relatives to confirm that a 21st body has been found."