English beaches praised for good water quality

A large number of British beaches have been hailed for their impressive standards of water quality, with many receiving an internationally-recognised award.

Keep Britain Tidy has revealed 70 beaches across England have been granted the Blue Flag accolade, after environmental analysis was carried out across some of the country's most renowned holiday hotspots.

Torbay turned out to be the biggest victor following the tests, as six of its beaches were given Blue Flag status.

Cornwall and Southend-on-Sea were close behind with five each, while other areas such as Bournemouth and Skegness were also praised.

Chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy Phil Barton hopes the news will encourage more Britons to take a holiday at an English seaside resort rather than heading abroad this summer.

"With 146 beaches around England's coastline achieving Blue Flags and Quality Coast Awards this year, what better way to holiday in this country than to visit one of the award-winning beaches," he remarked.

However, the recent round of awards was not so positive for Bridlington in Yorkshire, as the town's North Beach was stripped of its Blue Flag status, the Bridlington Free Press reports.

Posted by Claire Manning