A controversial access point on to the sands of Morecambe Bay, which was deluged by hundreds of cocklers late last year, could soon be shut off.

South Lakeland District Council has announced that access across the sands at Kents Bank level crossing will probably be closed to vehicles from February 1.

The announcement comes following dozens of complaints to SLDC about the chaos caused by shell fishermen who descended on the village last year from all over the country.

Some Kents Bank residents feared that cocklers were not using the unmanned level crossing, which leads onto the sands safely.

Conservation organisation English Nature was also concerned about damage to the salt marshes at Kents Bank caused by the number of vehicles.

The influx of cocklers to Kents Bank came after Holker Estates restricted access on to the beds from its land at Humphrey Head by imposing a permit scheme Now, after a request from SLDC, Cumbria Police and English Nature, Network Rail has agreed to close the Kents Bank level crossing.

Instead, Holker Estates is considering opening up an alternative access point to the sands, on a permit only basis, from its land at Flookburgh.

SLDC environmental protection manager Mark Richardson said that Network Rail would close off the crossing to vehicles, to give the sands and salt marsh time to recover from the "mass traffic" of cocklers. The crossing would still be open to pedestrians and the closure will only go ahead once Holker Estates agrees to allow access to the beds from Flookburgh.

Network Rail spokesman Keith Lumley said: "When safe access to the cockling areas at Flookburgh has been opened, we will then close off the Kents Bank crossing to vehicular traffic."

Queen's Guide to the Sands Cedric Robinson had feared he would be unable to lead his popular cross bay walks because of the damage to the marshland.

"Something will have to be done, otherwise the marshland will never recover," he said.

But Grange-over-Sands cockler Ben Barker, who uses the Kents Bank crossing, was outraged by the closure, saying the residents "had no right" to shut the crossing.

Mr Barker has been using his special amphibious tractor and agricultural harrows to repair damage to the marshland.

"Some people have bought their expensive houses and have lived there for a few years and now they want to close the crossing down," he said.

But Kents Bank resident Hilary Pavitt welcomed the plans to shut off access to the sands.

"It is not the residents trying to stop people earning a decent living, it is the residents trying to have a decent living themselves," she said.

l A former police chief and a retired Army general have been named as chairman and chief executive designate of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority.

The body has been set up as a watchdog to regulate gang masters who supply workers to farms, agricultural and shellfish businesses and to stamp out illegal practices.

Chairman designate Paul Whitehouse was formerly the Chief Constable of Sussex and is vice-chair of NACROA, the crime reduction charity.

Chief executive designate Michael Wilson was a Major General on the Defence Intelligence Staff and is chief executive of the Defence Vetting Agency.

Their formal appointment will be confirmed when Parliament adopts the regulations underpinning the authority's operation in March.