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Mainland authorities have apologizsd after lawyers were told not to help victims of the recent deadly train crash in Zhejiang province to file lawsuits without permission.

Law firms in the city of Wenzhou had received an "urgent statement" in the names of the city's Judicial Bureau and the Lawyers' Association on Tuesday - three days after the crash - to instruct their lawyers not to handle any cases without authorisation. The notice explained that "the accident is a major sensitive issue concerning social stability" and should families of the victims seek legal help, the lawyers should inform the authorities.

The city judicial bureau has now denied it issued the notice after an outcry on the Internet. It says the lawyers' association put out the notice in its name. Xinhua news agency reported that the bureau has issued a public apology for its "lax supervision" of the association.

At least 40 people died and 190 were injured after one bullet train rammed into another that had stalled after being hit by lightning, and six cars derailed. A total of 15 families of the crash victims have agreed to accept government compensation so far.