Shooting Ghosts - The making of Ghosts

The families of the 23 Chinese men and women who lost their lives at Morecambe Bay on 5 February 2004 would like to express their sincerest gratitude to the British public who have kindly donated to the Morecambe Victim Fund.

Representing the families, Xu Li Ying, the elder sister of Xu Yu Hua who died at Morecambe Bay, said: "You have brought a ray of hope into our lives. We, all the families, have suffered so much since we lost our loved ones. They left to go to work in England and endured a subhuman working life, just to improve our lives at home. Their deaths have brought so much pain to all of us. And since then, we have been living in debt."

"Some of us cannot afford medical care for the elderly nor education for the young. Some parents fell ill as they lost their sons. A mother could not endure the pain of losing her son and committed suicide. Some widows had to re-marry as they were burdened by heavy debts. I often wonder, can those who died keep their eyes closed when so much misery follows their deaths?" she said.

"The authorities should bear the responsibility for the workers’ safety. When miners were killed in an industrial accident, the government compensates their families – even though it is a small compensation. But the British government has shrugged away all its responsibilities. At the same time, the Chinese government does not treat its own citizens as human beings. Soon after the tragedy, the local government tried to stop people coming into our town to talk to us, because they didn’t want people to see the misery we were in. Our loved ones lost their lives like dogs in a foreign land. And no one wants to compensate. In this time of desperation, your help comes as a ray of hope. I’d like to represent all the families and thank you and the donators with all our hearts. We wish you peace all your life."

Your donation has made a huge difference. The families tell how they have tried to cope with living since the tragedy:

Liu Qin Ying, 37, and Xu Yu Hua, 37

from Putian of Fujian

Liu Qin Ying was a farmer and Xu Yu Hua was a driver in Fujian. They are husband and wife, and were drowned together on the same night at Morecambe Bay. They have one son of 16 and a younger disabled daughter. Xu Yu Hua came to Britain a year before his wife. He didn’t want her to follow him. But she was determined. She died on the first day when she joined her husband in cockling. Her body was not found.

Since their deaths, Xu Yu Hua’s 67-year-old father, Xu Wei Heh, said in his letter to the local government in Putian: "Since he and his wife died, his son and disabled daughter have been living with me. We still have more than 100,000 RMB debt to pay. I am not able to cope on my own. I sincerely hope that the relevant departments can help with supporting the orphans, so that they can live and continue to study." There was no reply from the government.

Guo Chang Mao, 18

from Fuqing of Fujian

He was a farmer. Single. Guo Chang Mao’s elderly parents are paying the remaining debt of 200,000 RMB. "We have another son in his thirties, working in seafood processing. We’ve been unable to pay the debt with his earnings," his father said.

Wang Ming Ling, 37

from Fuqing of Fujian

He was a farmer. His wife Lin Xiang Zhu is supporting her parents-in-laws and three children, one in senior high school, the other two in junior high school. The family still owes 200,000 RMB.

Lin Guo Guang, 36

from Fuqing of Fujian

He was married with two sons - Lin Luan, now 19 and Lin Fan, now 17. He was a fish farmer before a flood destroyed his farm and forced him to think of other means of maintaining a livelihood. He decided to come to the UK.

His son Lin Luan said: "I could never forget that Yuan Xiao night three years ago. The call from my father changed everything. Hearing that he was trapped in the sea, my mother cried desperately. Her tears made two of us cry. The days that followed were so hard to bear. Mother collapsed. She became soul-less. She lived her days sighing. At that time, I was preparing myself for the middle school exams. Faced with my father’s death, I thought about giving up my studies and finding a job to help my mother support our family. But I remembered how my father encouraged me to study and do well at school. I couldn’t give it up. He used to tell me that strong will is the most important thing in life. I therefore made up my mind to study hard and never give it up. One day, I said to myself, I will tell everyone in the world that Lin Guo Guang is my father, a great father."

His wife, Li Jinyun, said: "I can never forget the night when the ruthless sea took away my husband’s life. I have lost faith in life. But I had to be strong, to stand up from my pain and support my two sons and my parents-in-law. My biggest worries are my sons, the elder one on level three of a senior high school and he’s going to take exams this June to go to the university, but it costs 10,000RMB per year to send him to a university. I’ll try my best to do that, of course. My younger son is at level one of a senior high school. I have been struggling to provide them with a basic living. And I want to give them education for as long as I can afford. In this world, you cannot go far without an education."

"We cannot worry about paying off the debts. We can’t afford it. I have been hoping that the British government will be able to offer us a reasonable compensation. Now I am hoping that you will be able to fight for justice on our behalf and help us win the compensation from the government. Then, the dead will lay in peace."

Lin Jinyun makes plastic flowers at home, to make some cash. The family’s income also comes from small donation from the local Christians.

Lin You Xing, 38

from Fuqing of Fujian

He was a farmer.

His wife Lin Mei Qin said: "When Lin You Xing left to work in England, he borrowed 190,000 RMB. We have been unable to pay the debt with the interests. Our two sons, Lin Ming Jie and Lin Ming Kai, were at school before. But since their father died, my elder son had to quit school to find a job, to support the family and pay for his 80-year-old grandmother’s medical treatment. I myself look after my mother-in-law."

Cao Chao Kun, 35

from Fuqing of Fujian

He was a farmer. His wife Zhao Xiao Mei said: "I am struggling to support two children of ours and my parents-in-laws. We could hardly manage to live above subsistence level. We still owe our relatives 200,000 RMB while I’m trying to keep my children at school."

Xie Xiao Wen, 41

from Fuqing, Fujian

He was a labourer. Since he died, his wife Heh Xiu Yu works in a car assembly factory earning 500 yuan a month. She is struggling to bring up two children of theirs and cannot pay the debt.

Yang Tian Long, 33

from Fuqing, Fujian

His wife went to work in the UK after his death, leaving a son behind. She re-married.

His son, Yang Ling, now 20, is being supported by his anut. He has discontinued schooling. He is now working.

Chen Mu Yu, 30

from Fuqing, Fujian

He was a fisherman. His wife Yang Qin Yun is struggling with supporting a son, affording his medical expenses and paying the debt of 200,000 RMB.

Wu Jia Zhen, 36

from Fuqing, Fujian

He was a fisherman.

Since Wu Jia Zhen died, his wife Yan Lan Juan is supporting their three school-age children and unwell parents-in-laws. Saddened by his death, his father fell ill and passed away in 2005. Two elder children have left school to work in another city, to support the family. "I stay at home farming the land and looking after my mother-in-law. We still owe 200,000 RMB. We all hope that the British government can compensate. We are very grateful that you and other people in Britain are trying to help."

Dong Xin Wu, 38

from Fuzhou of Fujian

His 70-year-old mother fell sick hearing her son’s death, but couldn’t afford medical treatment. The family still owes 200,000 RMB. "I cannot afford education for our son. He is being supported by my mother now, and his schooling may be discontinued," said Dong’s wife Chen Yan Chun.

Zhou Xun Chao, 38

from Fuqing of Fujian

He was a construction worker. Since his death, his wife Heh Ji Lian had gone to work in another province Hunan, to support the three children of theirs and to continue their education.

Lin Guo Hua, 37

from Fuqing of Fujian

Lin Guo Hua was a farmer, married with one son and one daughter. "My father died just after two weeks of arriving in England. We only got a call from him when he arrived, and never since," his now-21-year-old daughter said. She discontinued her junior high school education when her father died, and when to work as a food shop assistant in Guizhou province. "I wanted to relieve burden for my family." Her hard work, and their relatives’ financial help, enabled her brother, now 20, to complete junior high school and enter senior high school.

Lin Guo Hua’s wife, Lin Ai Qin, is jobless at the moment. The family is still in a debt of 250,000 RMB. His daughter is now back in Fujian, and is working in a garment shop for 500 RMB a month. The whole family relies on her income. "I’m back in Fujian because I want to be near my family," she said.

Lin Zhi Fang, 19

from Fuqing of Fujian

He was a factory worker. His parents are Lin Guo Hua and Lin Mei Jin. They said: "We have been living in pain since our son’s death. We have not even received a penny of compensation. We are old and unwell, yet having to live with a debt of 100,000 RMB. We have been living in a rented flat."

Guo Nian Zhu, 39

from Fuqing of Fujian

He was a chicken farmer. Married with three children. His son has discontinued schooling as the family could not afford it. His wife You Yin Song has suffered haemorrhage.

Lin Li Shui, 33

from Fuqing of Fujian

His father Lin You Chun said: "Since my son’s death, his children have discontinued schooling. I cannot cope with supporting them and paying the debt. We plead the British government to compensate us!"

Wang Xiu Yu, 27

from Fuqing of Fujian

She was a farmer. Her husband Guo Shih Guo said: "I have not yet recovered from the pain that I have been suffering since my wife’s death. For three years, I have been trying to make a living and supporting my parents and my daughter. I could hardly manage."

Guo Bing Long, 28

from Fuqing of Fujian

He was a farmer, and has a son of eight and a daughter of five. He still owed 300,000 RMB when he drowned in Morecambe Bay. The moneylenders had been chasing and pushing for money since Guo’s death.

His wife Ong Li Hong said: "Bing Long’s mother was so saddened by his death and felt so burdened with the debt that she committed suicide near his burial site in Fujian after visiting it on Yuan Xiao Day in 2005. What was left behind is my elderly father-in-law, a teenaged son and a broken family. Since he was gone, I could not face life for over a year. But for my son, I have to stand up and go out to work. We are hoping that the British government will agree to compensate and give us the justice we deserve." The entire family now lives on Ong Li Hong’s meagre wages as a babysitter.

Wu Hong Kang, 34

from Shangjin village, Fujian

His wife Su Zhen Qin said: "To make life better for the family, he went to England to work. When he died, he left behind him two young daughters, his elderly parents, and a heavy debt of 200,000 RMB."

Yu Hui, 34

from Fuqing of Fujian

He was unemployed before going to work in Britain.

When Yu Hui died, his wife Wu Ya Hong had to go to another county to work.

She now works as a labourer, loading bricks for a building company. She earns 500 yuan a month. "This is far from sufficient to pay for education for my two sons and afford a basic living," she said.

"Since my husband died, my elder son’s high school education, which costs 2,000 RMB per year, had to be discontinued. He is now 15-year-old and is working as a garbage collector. What else do you expect him to do? He’s only a kid, with no skills. So he collects rubbish on the streets and sells them. My 13-year-old younger son is able to continue schooling."

"I can’t think of the debt. We just couldn’t afford to pay. It was the 200,000 RMB debt to pay after my husband died. But three years on, with interests, we now owe them 300,000 RMB. The creditors visit us about twice a month, shouting abuse. But I just tried to ignore it. I feel truly helpless."

"I am really grateful to the kind-hearted people who are willing to lend a helping hand!"

Chen Ai Qin, 39

from Fuqing of Fujian

Chen Ai Qin was married with one son, Cai Zhixiang, now 16, and one daughter, Cai Huiling, now 12. After working for a year in Britain, she went to pick cockles.

Since she died, her husband Cai Li Tong went to work on a building site at San Men Gorge, Hubei province. He was killed in an accident on the site. The two orphans have been looked after by her elder brother, Chen Ming Yi, who has two children himself. Now Cai Huiling is living with her aunt. Chen Ming Yi is a builder and earns around 1,000 RMB a month. 600 RMB of his earnings goes to support the two children. "It’s not possible for me to pay the debt of 150,000 RMB. The kids asked me about the debt, and I had to tell them, ‘Study well and in future you may be able to pay it all off’."

Zhang Xiu Hua, 45,

from Shandong, north China

She was a farmer, married with two children.

Her family has not been contactable.