BRING back the sand to Morecambe beach!

That's the plea from the resort's hoteliers who met up with MP Geraldine Smith last week to discuss their concerns about the future of Morecambe.

The lively meeting at the town hall heard widespread concerns about the state of the resort, the lateness of the festival brochure and the failure to bring sand back to the beaches following the sea defence work.

These worries were addressed by the city council's new director of regeneration, John Donnellon, who highlighted a list of 13 festivals which had been arranged in Lancaster and Morecambe for the year, and also told them that he was preparing a strategy for the regeneration of the resort, which would be going out to public consultation next month.

Asked what their priority was for the town, many traders present said that it was to "bring back the sand to the beach" which had been promised when the coastal defence works were completed.

Mr Donnellon explained that the completion of the works was being delayed because MAFF, which is responsible for the coastal defence works, had received an objection from English Nature about the disturbance to birdlife, and that needed to be resolved.

In turn that was delaying the re-instatement of sand along certain parts of the beach, and preventing the council bringing in more sand to build up the beaches again.

Miss Smith said she would be prepared to arrange a meeting with the Environment Minister to try and remove English Heritage's objection but she needed the council behind her.

She asked Mr Donnellon to suggest to councillors that they back her and join her in a lobby of the Government.