AN EXHIBITION which is shining a light on the issue of modern day slavery has opened at Ulverston Library.

Mayor Dave Webster was on hand to give his seal of approval to the project, which includes a section of the Chinese cockle pickers who were killed by rising tides in Morecambe Bay.

The thought-provoking showcase, by the Swarthmoor Quaker Meeting, aims to highlight that despite an update in laws slavery is still an issue in the modern day.

Elizabeth Jones, a member of the quakers, spoke about how her mother's family endured the cotton famine during the 1860’s.

This involved cotton mill workers in England losing trade when they boycotted the slave owners in the southern United States.

She said: “If our ancestors, at great cost to themselves, could boycott slavery then surely we could get people today to do the same thing with modern slavery.”

The exhibition hopes to highlight how members of the public can recognise and help stop modern slavery.

Elizabeth spoke about how the public should be more wary of different products from stores.

“It’s a question of learning about what you buy," she said. "I know Ikea recently said they would stop using cotton from slaves in Uzbekistan. And most of our modern mobile phones almost definitely have minerals obtained by using child miners.”

It will be on display until October 27, with hopes it will move to other venues across Cumbria.