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| Fifty-five beaches in England meet tough new EU standards | Fifty-five beaches in England meet tough new EU standards |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| More than 50 English beaches have met tough new EU standards to receive Blue Flag awards, recognising their high standards and water quality. | More than 50 English beaches have met tough new EU standards to receive Blue Flag awards, recognising their high standards and water quality. |
| Thanet in Kent won eight awards, while the Isle of Wight, Bournemouth and Poole in Dorset, and Torbay in Devon each received four awards. | |
| Campaign group Keep Britain Tidy runs the awards scheme in England. | Campaign group Keep Britain Tidy runs the awards scheme in England. |
| The 55-beach total is down from 79 in 2012, but this year beaches were subject to much tougher standards. | The 55-beach total is down from 79 in 2012, but this year beaches were subject to much tougher standards. |
| They had to meet the new "excellent" standard required under the new EU Bathing Waters Directive. | They had to meet the new "excellent" standard required under the new EU Bathing Waters Directive. |
| Beaches also had to advise users where they could obtain real-time information on discharges from nearby combined sewage overflows if it could temporarily affect the quality of bathing water. | Beaches also had to advise users where they could obtain real-time information on discharges from nearby combined sewage overflows if it could temporarily affect the quality of bathing water. |
| Other well-known beaches awarded Blue Flags this year included Central Beach in Skegness, Lincolnshire; Lowestoft South Claremont in Suffolk; Martello Bay at Clacton-on-Sea in Essex; and Whitby in North Yorkshire. | Other well-known beaches awarded Blue Flags this year included Central Beach in Skegness, Lincolnshire; Lowestoft South Claremont in Suffolk; Martello Bay at Clacton-on-Sea in Essex; and Whitby in North Yorkshire. |
| A further 133 beaches in England were rated clean enough to be awarded Seaside Awards - formerly known as Quality Coast Awards - by Keep Britain Tidy. | A further 133 beaches in England were rated clean enough to be awarded Seaside Awards - formerly known as Quality Coast Awards - by Keep Britain Tidy. |
| The Isle of Wight won the most awards nationwide, with a total of four Blue Flags and 13 Seaside Awards. | The Isle of Wight won the most awards nationwide, with a total of four Blue Flags and 13 Seaside Awards. |
| Richard McIlwain, Keep Britain Tidy operations director, said: "Holidaymakers and day trippers want to visit clean, safe beaches and the sight of the Blue Flag or Seaside Award flying gives them the reassurance that they will." | Richard McIlwain, Keep Britain Tidy operations director, said: "Holidaymakers and day trippers want to visit clean, safe beaches and the sight of the Blue Flag or Seaside Award flying gives them the reassurance that they will." |