A SCATHING attack has been launched on a council's handling of safety following the death of Worcester schoolgirl Lelaina Hall.

Sedgemoor Council's Liberal Democrat leader, Councillor Chris Williams, has accused the authority of showing a "lack of judgement" in its actions.

Five-year-old Lelaina died after becoming trapped in mud flats on Berrow beach, near Burnham-on-Sea, at the end of a three-day trip with her mother and her boyfriend.

Despite Burnham Mud Rescue Team and a coastguard helicopter being scrambled to the scene, she died at Weston General Hospital three hours later.

"Since the tragedy, comments from our group have been internally directed within the council so as not to add to the grief of the bereaved," said Coun Williams.

"There is no way we wish to make political capital from the situation.

"But we feel that it is not enough to have notices saying 'soft sand' along the Berrow coast.

"These notices should say 'dangerous mud except at high tide'.

"It is also imperative that the holiday camps in the area take some responsibility for their temporary residents.

"Environmental services should produce a supply of leaflets for every camp pointing out how dangerous the beach is."

But John Lamb, Conservative district councillor for Berrow accused the Liberal Democrats of using the tragedy to score political points.

"This is playing politics with life, it's a disgrace that Mr Williams is bringing politics into this," said Coun Lamb.

"It's despicable and I totally reject the argument. We're doing the job to the best of our ability.

Sedgemoor District Council's corporate director, John Blake, revealed that education had been highlighted as the key to safety on the beach.

"We have a leaflet which is available at caravan parks and from car parks at the beaches," said Mr Blake.

"The coastguards also do beach safety awareness sessions in schools and in the local community, many of them in their spare time."

He revealed that his main concern was that people did not overreact to the tragedy, which happened on Sunday, June 23.

"Until then, Berrow was a beach that we could take our children to. We still can.

"Fifty thousand people a week go through that beach strip and this is the first incident that I'm aware of.

"I'm sure people will continue to use and enjoy the beach."

An initial health and safety inquiry into the tragedy has resulted in new signs being designed for the beach.