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People in Southend demand answers as prized beach loses Blue Flag status

Tom Larsen-Wright/BBC A man and a woman in their 70s smiling at the camera. The man is wearing a black hat and a navy coat. The woman is wearing a khaki coat and a white scarf and hat. Thorpe Bay is behind themTom Larsen-Wright/BBC
Margaret and Roger Garratty said they feel "so lucky" to have the beach near their home

People in a popular seaside resort are demanding answers as to how a popular beach lost its Blue Flag status.

Thorpe Bay in Southend-on-Sea in Essex was on track to retain its "excellent" rating and Blue Flag status until a final sample was taken in September.

James Duddridge, Conservative MP for Rochford and Southend East, said he was "disappointed" the beach had lost the accolade.

Beaches can reclaim the status, however, through re-testing.

A spokesperson for Anglian Water said the loss of the beach's Blue Flag accreditation was nothing to do its operations.

"I am disappointed to learn that Thorpe Bay Beach has lost its Blue Flag status," said Mr Duddridge.

"With the outlying nature of the result at the end of the season and Anglian Water confirming that there was no discharge ahead of the sample."

He said he was working alongside Anna Firth, MP and councillor Tony Cox to try and get the Environment Agency to do further testing and find out what had happened.

Daniel Cowan, Labour councillor St Laurence Ward, said: "I think it is sad that one of our beaches has lost its blue flag statuses. We want to get the status back as quickly as possible.

"We need to understand how this has happened."

BBC/Tom Larsen-Wright A woman wearing a blue coat standing at Thorpe Bay in Essex smiling at the cameraBBC/Tom Larsen-Wright
Suzanne Ellis said the loss of status is a "real shame".

Resident, Suzanne Ellis, 48, said: "It is a real shame. I think someone should sort it out very quickly and put Thorpe Bay back on the map.

"It is such a lovely setting and we need to utilise that to the max.

Margaret and Roger Garratty from Rayleigh live a 20 minute drive from the beach.

Mr Garratty, 78, said: "We are just so lucky to have a facility like this and I am a bit disappointed.

"They can get the status back and hopefully they do.

A spokesperson for Anglian Water said: "Prior to the last sample taken of the season, the bathing water in Thorpe Bay was on track to retain 'excellent' [status] for [the] bathing water classification.

"However the final sample failed at the end of the season which has caused the loss of the Blue Flag for Thorpe Bay."

The spokesperson said there was rainfall the "night before the final sample was taken".

"This result was not due to any of Anglian Water's assets in the area as there was no discharge from any of them," the spokesperson said.

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