FISHERMEN pelted officials with clams as they helped an undercover BBC investigation into illegal shellfish dredging in Poole Harbour.

The Inside Out programme secretly filmed 13 boats catching potentially poisonous shellfish in a prohibited part of the harbour.

Taking shellfish from the Wareham Channel was banned in 2006 because of concerns about the cleanliness of the water.

Fisheries officer Ian Carrier, from the Southern Sea Fisheries Committee, told the programme how policing the shellfish ban led to fiery clashes with fishermen.

He said: "We have been in hot pursuit of some clam fishermen and they have thrown a hail of clams.

"If you are doing 20 knots in a boat and you are met with a hail of clams, then not only is it dangerous, but it's very painful."

He also described how their building had been attacked, with bricks through the window, and how boats have been sabotaged and officers threatened.

Inside Out presenter Joe Crowley and his team tracked several licensed fishing boats at they headed from Fisherman's Dock on Poole Quay to the prohibited area.

They also filmed unlicensed fishermen from Lytchett Bay taking shellfish from the channel in broad daylight.

Mr Crowley said: "It was so blatant.

"We have been told that they can make up to £2,000 per day from the clams, so that probably explains why so many fishermen are prepared to flout the law."

Cllr Don Collier, who is also a member of the Southern Sea Fisheries Committee, said people could become seriously ill from the shellfish, damaging the harbour's reputation.

He said: "There is a fantastically clean harbour with a very good fishery. If people think the clams came from Poole and they have really been taken illegally from the channel, then it does huge damage to Poole."

Restrictions on fishing in the Wareham Channel have now been lifted but shellfish must be purified in clean water for eight weeks before they are sold to the public.