Water quality continues to improve at Britain’s beaches

The statistics from the Environment Department (Defra) and the Welsh Government showed that just 10 out of 502 beaches and inland bathing sites in the two countries failed basic water quality standards.

And a record 89 per cent of the bathing waters, a total of 447 sites, met the tougher European standards due to come into force by 2015, up from 86 per cent which met the “guideline” grade last year.

The percentage of those meeting basic levels of water quality is much the same as in 2010.

There were nine sites which failed in England, including a string of beaches around Blackpool, and one in Wales, at Llandudno west shore.

Christine Tuckett, head of bathing waters at the agency, said: “Over £8bn has been invested by water companies and the Environment Agency to upgrade our sewerage systems and reduce pollution. As a result, almost all of our beaches meet the minimum standards now, compared to just three quarters in 1991.

“But new, stricter standards will come into force in 2015, and we are working with water companies, farmers, local authorities and beach managers to tackle persistent sources of pollution and make sure that as many beaches as possible pass these standards.”