Torbay 'cleanest' England beach

9 May 2011 Last updated at 23:14 ET  Scarborough and Bournemouth are among 70 of England's beaches to have been awarded Blue Flag awards Torbay is the cleanest beach resort in England, Keep Britain Tidy has said after it received more Blue Flag awards for water quality than anywhere else.

It received six flags for water quality and beach cleanliness awards. Cornwall and Southend-on-Sea each received five.

Some 70 beaches in England passed strict tests concerning excellence in water quality and beach cleanliness.

This year a pilot scheme to warn beach users when nearby combined sewer overflows are discharging is to start.

The worldwide initiative is run by independent non-profit group the Foundation for Environmental Education.

Anti-litter charity Keep Britain Tidy is responsible for the Blue Flag scheme in England.

Skegness, Scarborough and Bournemouth are among 70 of England's beaches to have been awarded Blue Flag awards.

Clean and safe

And 108 beaches in England received Quality Coast Awards, which were introduced by Keep Britain Tidy in 2007 to reward beaches in England deemed to have achieved the highest standards of beach management.

In total, 32 beaches received both awards.

Phil Barton, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, said: "The continuing high standards of our beaches are testament to the hard work carried out by beach managers throughout the year in order to provide clean and safe beaches for everyone to enjoy, whether you live on the coast or are a visitor."

Up to 60 Blue Flag beaches will pilot the warning scheme, which is being developed through the Cleaner Seas Forum.

It follows research conducted by the Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) campaign group last year which suggested that 34 of Britain's beaches awarded a Blue Flag should lose the status.

Using the Freedom of Information Act, it found local authorities in those areas did not request real-time information on combined sewage overflow discharge, despite the provision of warnings being a requirement imposed by the Blue Flag programme.

Director of SAS, Hugo Tagholn said traditionally water companies where silent over the problem.

"We are very encouraged to see action being taken, while being mindful of the impact of sewage overflows on the health of the general public and surfers.

"Longer term it will help us identify which areas require further investment," he said.