Water quality issue sees three beaches lose Blue Flags

Three beaches on the East coast have lost their coveted Blue Flags.

East Runton, Mundesley and Sea Palling in Norfolk did not achieve the accolade this year due to a drop in water quality.

However, two beaches - Frinton-on-Sea and Albion beach at Walton-on-the-Naze in Essex - have been awarded the flags, taking the county's total to nine.

Felixstowe South and Pier and Southwold both retained their Blue Flags - and are Suffolk's only holders.

Fourteen beaches in the East of England have been recognised for their "excellent" quality with Blue Flags - one fewer than last year.

The international award is only given to "well-managed beaches with excellent water quality and environmental education programmes".

Keep Britain Tidy, which manages the awards, said the beaches were assessed on safety, water quality and waste.

Water quality is monitored during the bathing season, from May to September, by the Environment Agency.

It releases up-to-date information in swimming spots, where pollution levels may have been affected by weather or sea conditions.

All three beaches in Norfolk that retained the Blue Flag - Cromer, Sheringham and West Runton - are along the northern stretch of the coastline.

Leader of North Norfolk District Council (NNDC), Tim Adams (Lib Dem), said while the local authority was "delighted" to keep the award in these resorts, it was keen for its three other beaches to quickly regain the quality mark.

"While we aspire to achieve the return of the Blue Flags at Mundesley, Sea Palling and East Runton, the Seaside Award status achieved at these locations recognises we still provide all other elements of Blue Flag status despite the water quality falling from excellent to good," he said.

"We continue to work with Anglian Water and the Environment Agency to achieve the return of the Blue Flag status at those remaining beaches as soon as possible."

In Essex, the seven other beaches awarded Blue Flags were: East Beach Shoeburyness, Shoebury Common, Thorpe Bay, Three Shells Beach, Westcliff Bay, Dovercourt Bay and Brightlingsea.

Walton-on-the-Naze last held the flag in 2020 but it was not entered last year due to concerns that coastal works would temporarily affect the water quality, while Frinton-on-Sea hasn't flown it since 2016.

Allison Ogden-Newton, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, said visitors could be "assured the beach will be clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well as international bathing water quality standards".

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