ITV has scrapped a film that centres around the 1989 sinking of the Marchioness pleasure boat in which 51 people died.

But despite having spent £2 million making the film, ITV drama consultant Nick Elliott said the writing and production were not “quite good enough”.

Margaret Lockwood Croft, whose son died, earlier said it “sensationalises and misrepresents” what happened.

The tragedy occurred when the pleasure boat, packed with young party-goers, collided with a dredger on the Thames in London.

“If we are broadcasting a programme about a massive issue we have to be able to say we stand by this film in every respect,” Mr Elliott said.

“I have always had certain problems with the writing and production of this film and we do not feel that these creative issues have been resolved.

“If we put this film out we would be attacked because I don’t think it is quite good enough. It is costing us £2m not to broadcast it.”