ALMOST a year after a fishing trip ended in the deaths of a father and his teenage sons, family and friends were in the House of Commons to hear Leigh MP Andy Burnham's call for another investigation into the accident.

On July 12 last year Shaun Ridley and his sons Steven, 13, and Michael, 15, of Abbey Lane, died when their fishing boat was swamped in Loch Ryan off the west coast of Scotland.

They were in a party of five with Shaun's father, Brian and his lifelong friend Harry Houghton, who were rescued after clinging to the upturned boat for four hours.

Last Thursday Pauline Ridley and her parents Joan and Tommy, Shaun's parents Brian and Marie, along with Harry and his wife, Audrey, were in Parliament to hear Mr Burnham criticise some of the findings of a marine investigation. He also asked for further investigation into points he raised and is now seeking the Scottish authorities to order a fatal accident inquiry.

Mr Burnham said : "It was a ferry of some kind that made their boat sink."

He highlighted to David Jamieson, Under secretary of State for Transport, that the Marine Accident Investigation Board report into the tragedy made eight recommendations to prevent a recurrence.

Mr Burnham said: "Coastguard and rescue services were required to review their practices with a view to eliminating the alarming errors made in this case.

"Wash from ferries in and out of Loch Ryan is a matter of long-standing local concern. It seems there is a local nervousness about questioning the activities of such major and long-standing local employers.

"It has been suggested that other accidents have been kept from the public gaze by out-of-court settlements. Only hours after the accident when the family were at the hospital confronted with media interest, they were advised by a local police officer 'don't mention the ferries'."

Mr Burnham said he was amazed there was no statutory harbour authority regulating Loch Ryan and said less than two months after last July's tragedy a similar accident involving ferry wash in the loch led to recommendations that one should be established.

And he said the MAIB report criticised the fishing party but "seems at pains to mute and minimise criticisms of professionals and explain away their failings. As Pauline Ridley points out there is a great difference between the health and safety responsibilities of a major industry and a family out sailing for a day's fishing."

A fatal accident inquiry may be held depending on the ruling of the Procurator Fiscal and the Crown Office in Scotland.