ANOTHER influential food and wine writer has given Morecambe's potted shrimps top billing in a national newspaper.

In a full page illustrated article under the heading "You Must Go Down to the Sea Again..." expert foodie Christopher Hirst told readers of the Independent's food and drink supplement "Morecambe means shrimps!"

Morecambe and St Ives are the only English west coast venues featured on the accompanying map of Britain, giving Morecambe a special prominence.

Regeneration cabinet member, Cllr Carolyn Simpson, said: "Recommendations of this quality are very beneficial to tourism. This is further recognition of the very high quality of food produced in this area."

Edmondson's fishmongers in Yorkshire Street experienced astronomical increases in demand for their potted shrimps after Rick Stein televised the Edmondson family catching, hand peeling, and cooking the celebrated delicacy. Mr Edmondson said that shortly after the broadcast people were driving slowly past his door just to take photos of his shop!

Rick Stein's "Seafoood Odyssey" series is currently being repeated on BBC2 on Sunday mornings and this is expected to further boost the popularity of a dish where the recipes prepared by individual families are a closely kept secret. The

article in Saturday's Independent hints at one of the secrets - Bob Baxter of the famous Thornton Road company reveals that one reason for his success is the high butter content. Mr Baxter reported that he sells around 13 million shrimps each year, largely through his flourishing mail order business.