Brighton and Hove beaches get Blue Flag award

Keep Britain Tidy has revealed 15 beaches in the South East have been awarded the Blue Flag.

Brighton central and the beach at Hove Lawns were among those who hung on to their awards this year.

The charity has also given Seaside Awards to Worthing beach, Bognor, Littlehampton Coastguards, and Saltdean.

It means visitors can be certain of bathing at a clean, safe, beach with good water quality and good facilities.

Beaches which are given the award must meet the very highest standards of cleanliness and facilities.

The charity says the sight of litter, dog mess and poor water quality can often be the biggest factor in why families won’t take their children to the beach.

According to its surveys, four in five parents chosen not to take their children to the British coast. It estimates that one in five children have never set foot on a British beach.

Charity chief executive Allison Ogden-Newton said: “Blue Flag leads the fightback for the blue planet. Our research shows that nearly two thirds of parents would prefer to visit beaches with Blue Flag or Seaside Award status.

“So growing the number of beaches with an award is vital to encourage more families to visit our beautiful coastline.

“Blue Flag and Seaside Awards set the standard for our beaches, including the war against the litter and plastic that does so much damage to our marine environment.

“Keep Britain Tidy leads the fight to create clean, plastic-free beaches.

“We are committed to creating a great environment on our doorstep for everyone to enjoy and offering a quality mark that shows everyone just how fantastic our beaches can be.

“It’s brilliant to see so many beaches in the South East and the rest of the country winning Blue Flag and Seaside Award status this year, thanks to dedication and hard work of beach staff and volunteers who work tireless to maintain the high standards. Hopefully next year we’ll see an even greater number joining us as we drive up standards across the board.”