Cross bay walks threatened by 'tractor vandals'

The organisers of Lancashire's historical cross bay walks have said vandals targeting vital safety equipment are threatening the future of the nearly 500-year-old tradition.

The Morecambe Bay walks - from Arnside to Grange - can involve up to 500 people at a time and the bay is notorious for quicksand, fast-rising tides and deep tidal channels, so guides use tractors as mobile rescue and support vehicles.

Jo Hales, secretary of the Guide over Sands Trust, said in the last most serious incident, attackers started one of the tractors they use, leaving it to run dry so the engine seized.

"The reality is without the tractors we cannot do the walks," she said, "they're a safety net for the walkers."

Tractors can easily handle the wet, heavy sand, cross deep tidal river channels and carry tired walkers or rescue anyone stuck in shifting quicksand.

They act as "essential" mobile rescue and support vehicles during the three-hour charity walks, ready to pick up anyone who is exhausted or struggling with the tide.

Hales's partner, Michael Wilson, is The King's Guide to Morecambe Bay, an official, royally-appointed role dating back to 1548.

"Michael normally heads out on a Thursday evening or Friday morning to mark his route, so he gets both of his tractors out on the sand," Hales said.

"From our farm we can see the tractors and we saw four 18 to 20-year-olds messing with them.

"A couple of weeks later the tractors must have been started on the Saturday evening and when we came to use them on the Sunday, one of the engines had seized as it had been left running all night," she said.

"Because they're older tractors, and parts are extortionate, its very frustrating."

The pair had to tow the tractor back to their farm where Wilson swapped out the engine.

"This year we've raised well over a million pounds for charity, there's no other event like the Morecambe Bay walk, and it's important we keep it going," Hales said.

Her partner has "such a good role as the King's Guide" and "gets quite disheartened because he puts a lot of effort in".

"It's very stressful planning everything making sure the tractor team are sorted, they've got fuel, they've got water, and when they get vandalised you just question yourself - is it worth actually doing it?" she said.

"It absolutely deflates you."

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