Politics
Britain’s top 10 cleanest and dirtiest beaches revealed
A BEACH in Cornwall has topped the list for cleanest in the UK.
Treyarnon Bay came in pole position in a list dominated by Cornwall and Dorset.
Getty – ContributorTreyarnon Bay Beach, near Padstow in Cornwall is the beach with the cleanest water in Britain[/caption]
Robert Harding World Imagery – GettyShell Bay in Dorset came second place in the list of British beaches with the cleanest water[/caption]
GettyKimmeridge Bay, Dorset took third place for cleanest beach water in Britain[/caption]
Data from 425 beaches across England, Scotland and Wales has been analysed to reveal the cleanest and dirtiest beaches across Britain.
But when it comes to dirt, it’s not all about litter and washed-up plastic debris.
The rankings are based on the total count of E. Coli found within the water over the past two years.
E. Coli is referred to as a ‘fecal indicator’, found in the intestines and poo of humans and animals.
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While its appearance in the beach water isn’t necessarily harmful to humans, it can suggest the presence of other more dangerous bacteria.
If it enters your system, some E. coli can cause illness such as diarrhoea, vomiting, and stomach cramps.
Treyarnon Bay came top for clean beach water with an E. coli count of just 50.
The second cleanest beach is Shell Bay in Dorset, with an E. coli count of 51, narrowly missing out on the top spot.
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Third place also went to Dorset with Kimmeridge Bay scoring an E. coli count of just 53.
Outside of Cornwall and Dorset, the only other location to land in the top ten list was Devon, with Combesgate Beach coming in seventh position.
The best beaches in Britain for clean water
Treyarnon Bay, Cornwall
Shell Bay, Dorset
Kimmeridge Bay, Dorset
Kennack Sands, Cornwall
Durdle Door East, Dorset
Constantine Bay, Cornwall
Combesgate Beach, Devon
Church Cove, Cornwall
Poole Shore Road Beach, Dorset
Praa Sands East, Cornwall
Meanwhile, the waters in other UK beaches told a whole different story, with the water at St Annes Beach in Lancashire having a staggering E. Coli count of 4338.
Plymouth Hoe East Beach in Devon ranked second worst for quality of water with an E. Coli count of 3611 in the sampled water, and Bowleaze Cove in Dorset was the third worst with a count of 3349.
In fact, Lancashire’s beaches dominated the list of dirtiest beach water.
The worst beaches in Britain for clean water
St Annes Beach, Lancashire
Plymouth Hoe East Beach, Devon
Bowleaze Cove, Dorset
Thurlestone South, Devon
Cleethorpes Beach, Lincolnshire
Scarborough South Bay, North Yorkshire
Blackpool Central Beach, Lancashire
Broadstairs, Viking Bay, Lancashire
Lyme Regis Front Beach, Dorset
Anstey’s Cove Torquay, Devon
Mark Hall, the co-founder of BuisnessWaste who commissioned the research has spoken about the importance of staying safe in coastal water.
He said: “With summer travel back to normal this year, deciding on a beach spot may be a hot topic over the next few months.
“You will probably avoid beaches that are filled with litter and washed-up plastic, but you may not instantly think about what dangerous bacteria may be lingering in the water.
“We hope that our study on the cleanest and dirtiest beaches will help you make that all-important decision, and we urge you to stay safe in those coastal waters too!”
Read More on The Sun
A survey of British tourists recently revealed the top ten seaside resorts in the UK – and surprisingly, Cornwall didn’t make the list.
The Sun Online also revealed the UK’s most beautiful beaches according to Instagram, and this time Cornwall took the top spot.
AlamyThe beach at Lytham St Annes in Lancashire was named the worst beach in Britain for clean water[/caption]
AlamyPlymouth Hoe in Devon is the second most dangerous beach in the UK when it comes to bacteria[/caption]
AlamyBowleaze Cove Beach in Dorset came third for most bacteria with an E.Coli count of 3349[/caption]
