POLICE have not ruled out the 2004 cockling disaster from their inquiries after human bones were found washed up.

But detectives said there was nothing 'at this stage' linking the bones, found in Silverdale,  to the disaster 20 years ago.

Lancashire Police responded to a call out at 4.10pm on Sunday, March 31 after the bones were spotted in the water at Cove Road Beach.

The police have since confirmed that, following their subsequent inquiries, some of the remains are human.

When asked if they could rule out the bones being linked to the 2004 disaster, the police said that officers were 'keeping an open mind.' 

In the early evening of February 5, 2004, 23 Chinese cockle pickers, aged 18 to 45 drowned, as the tide rose. 

In July 2010, a fisherman found a skull during an organised cross-bay trip in Silverdale. DNA tests confirmed it was a match for 37-year-old Liu Qin Ying. 

This left just one picker, Dong Xin Wu, unaccounted for. 

A spokesperson from Lancashire Police said: "Although we are keeping an open mind, there is nothing to link the bones to the Morecambe Bay cockling disaster at this stage."

Previously, the force said: "Although we are keeping an open mind as to the origin of the remains, we believe they have been in the sea for a significant period.

"Our inquiries are expected to be ongoing for some time and we continue to liaise with HM Coroner."