DAYS after 19 people lost their lives on Morecambe Bay, the Liverpool Coast Guard was called out when school pupils were sighted on the sands.

A 999 call was received at 10.50am on Monday when a passer-by noticed a teacher and a group of students from Sedbergh School making their way along the bay at Silverdale.

Arnside Coastguard and Morecambe Bay Hovercraft were alerted but the Morecambe Coastguard had already moved the walkers off.

Ian Jackson, of the Liverpool Coastguard, said he was not surprised people were on the sands, but given recent events it would have been sensible for the school to have called them to check on tide times.

A spokesman for the school apologised but said it was a routine field day that was 'unfortunately timed'.

He said of the A-level geology students: "It might have looked bad. The pupils were jumping up and down on the sand to investigate land formation but what we were doing was very different to a cockling expedition by people unfamiliar with the area. It was a controlled experiment by an experienced member of staff."

He said it was a routine part of A-Level study on a site that has been visited for the past 20 years.