SOME fishermen are still putting lives at risk by not following new safety guidelines.

The Health and Safety Executive warning came in response to claims from some city councillors that it was not tackling safety issues swiftly enough after the cockling tragedy.

An HSE spokesman said the law required employers to ensure safe working.

"If they do not HSE will take action."

But he said new guidelines for cockling would be finalised 'in the near future', adding: "Recent events have suggested some fishermen are not following the emerging safety guidelines - they are putting not only their own lives at risk but potentially those of others."

Guidelines are available on www.hse.gov.uk

Only this week rescuers went to the aid of 10 shellfish pickers trapped by incoming tide.

Barrow Lifeboat's Tom Collins said three of the group, trapped on Foulney Island, had tried to walk back through the water on Tuesday morning.

"By the time we picked them up they were up to their chests in water. It was a wind of Force 4 but if it had been windier or darker we could have had fatalities. Something needs to be done now - regulation or legislation."

In a bid to improve safety, the HSE has recently issued an Improvement Notice to a cockle-picking organiser on the north of Morecambe Bay. This requires certain improvements to be made to work practices.

The HSE is also liasing with RNLI about a number of rescues since the February 5 tragedy to consider whether to take further action.