LANCASHIRE detectives have arrived in China in a bid to confirm the identities of the victims of the Morecambe bay tragedy.

Eight officers, including two normally posted in the east of the county, were due to visit victims' families in the south eastern province of Fujian.

Head of the team, Detective Chief Inspector Steve Brunskill, who worked in Nelson from January 2000 to April 2001, said: "My role is to identify all persons involved in this tragedy and to provide evidence to the coroner's court.

"This is an important stage of the identification process."

Police believe they have identified all 20 people who were swept out to sea by strong tides in the February 5 tragedy.

But they need to gather further evidence such as DNA samples from relatives because only one of the victims had identity papers on her.

The group drowned when they were caught in swirling tides as they hunted for cockles. Sixteen people were rescued.

Accompanying DCI Brunskill is Sergeant Ruth Chew, who has worked in Burnley since November 2003 and PC Paul Hope, who has worked for Pennine division since 1989, as well as Inspector Graham Herrmann, Sgt Lloyd Bell, PC Bob Hodgson, PC Steve Gardner and PC Kwok Cheung, of Northern Division.