PEOPLE living around Morecambe Bay will need webbed feet and hands if global warming continues at its present rate claim green campaigners. With 1997 set to be the hottest year on record, environmentalists say sea levels are set to rise to dangerous levels threatening the coastline. Friends of the Earth claim a one metre rise in the sea level over the next century will threaten Sunderland Point, Morecambe Bay and the Lune Estuary.

On Saturday on Morecambe Promenade, campaigners dressed in wetsuits and flippers brought home their message to both locals and visitors.

"Although we are communicating in a light-hearted way, the threats from climate change are extremely serious," said energy campaigner, Jon Mills. "Heavy flooding could occur much more frequently and it would be impossible to defend all the low lying land. Morecambe Bay's famous bird-life could lose access to their rich feeding grounds. We don't want anyone to need a 'global warming survival kit' but that will only be the case is greenhouse gases are cut right back."

Wildlife campaigner, Matt Phillips, said: "Unless we reduce our use of fossil fuels and save energy we are condemning our coastline to becoming a grey line of concrete sea walls, where people are increasingly under threat of having the sea lapping at their doors and where coastal wildlife has been wiped out."

Throughout Saturday the campaigners handed out leaflets which urged the public to think about saving energy and switching to renewable sources, such as wind and solar energy, in order to protect the earth's climate. The new Labour Government says it aims to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide by one fifth over the next decade.

Mr Phillips added: "We are looking for leadership from the Government. For example they could take VAT off home insulation and they could improve public transport making it more attractive to possible users."

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