New technology for sands rescues

9:31am Tuesday 18th December 2007

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STATE-OF-THE-ART satellite technology is to be used by rescuers to help prevent future tragedies on the treacherous sands of Morecambe Bay, reports Paul Duncan.

Scientists at The University of Manchester are developing a system of satellite-generated maps of Morecambe Bay which use radar to penetrate thick cloud cover.

The maps will then be provided to the Flookburgh-based Bay Search and Rescue service which will use the map when responding to emergency calls on the sands.

Dr Kamie Kitmitto, of the university's national data centre, said the pilot scheme would help rescuers to predict how the tides affected the 310 square kilometeres of mudflats and sands and would help them to pilot their amphibious vehicles to the scenes of potential rescues more effectively.

"In Morecambe the mudflats change continually with the tide coming in and out. So to understand this we need continuous imaging from the air. That can be done using aerial photography but it's just not economic or feasible to do on a continuous basis," said Dr Kitmitto.

"Optical satellites are fine as well but as we live in Britain, there's too much cloud for clear imaging - especially in the North West. Radar, on the other hand, penetrates the cloud cover to give excellent image maps - once the data has been treated by us."

The maps will be created from data beamed at the speed of light from the European Space Agency's (ESA) Envisat satellite 600km out in space, to stations in Scotland, Sweden and Italy.

The team then uses sophisticated software to convert images into maps which will be analysed and interpreted for changes in the structure and topography of the sand dunes.

"We hope this project will make the area safer for the cockle pickers of Lancashire and Cumbria," said Dr Kitmitto.

Twenty-three Chinese cockle pickers died when they were trapped by the fast-moving tide near Hest Bank in 2004.

The cockle beds were closed in April 2005 to allow stocks to replenish and cocklers were allowed back on to the sands in October this year.

Bill Byford, a volunteer with Bay Search and Rescue, said the maps would provide valuable information about the location of danger zones liable to be cut off quickly by the advancing sea.

"Ours is the only rescue operation of its kind in the country. The information provided by these maps will be invaluable as it will be much easier for us to navigate this treacherous area and we hope that will save lives," said Mr Byford.

"We are voluntarily funded and staffed so this help which is being provided free of charge will make a huge difference to our rescue capabilities."

If the pilot scheme is successful, it may be adopted by other coastal rescue services around the world.