The pain continues...

Fisheries Minister Ben Bradshaw (pictured) visited the resort last March to discuss issues arising from the disaster.

He told the Citizen then that local people were right to think something should have been done to prevent the tragedy.

He said: "We need to look at whether there is more we can do to regulate activity."

But one year on and still no significant step has been taken to stop another disaster happening.

The Citizen put a string of questions to Mr Bradshaw this week - but silense was the only answer.

South Lakes MP Tim Collins, who has teamed up with Morecambe and Lunesdale MP Geraldine Smith to press for a licensing scheme, says all the Government has done is pass the buck'.

Mr Collins has accused Mr Brads-haw of failing to answer a single specific question about the need for a national licensing scheme, the number of immature cockles being removed from Morecambe and the numbers and origins of rogue cockling gangs.

"The buck for the cockling chaos we have seen in recent months stops with the Government and should not be passed to an unelected quango or ad hoc local committee as the Minister has has sought to do.

"What we urgently need from the Government is a national licensing system to prevent the sort of Wild West scenes we are seeing on Morecambe Bay."

In response, Mr Bradshaw told the House of Commons that the management of local inshore fisheries was the responsibility of local sea fisheries committees.

He said the Government was looking at how it could support the North West and North Wales sea fisheries committee to extend its permit scheme.