Seaside Awards and Blue Flag status for local beaches

Keep Britain Tidy gave Blue Flag Awards to 15 beaches in the South East, including Marina in St Leonards.

A blue flag is an international award that tells the public the beach is one of the best in the country, and those visiting can be sure of a clean, safe beach with great facilities and water quality.

The charity also dished out 21 Seaside Awards to beaches in the South East, including Marina and Pelham Beach.

The Seaside Award is Keep Britain Tidy’s own award for the beaches that meet the very highest standards for cleanliness and facilities.

Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive Allison Ogden-Newton said: “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 tirelessly to maintain the high standards.”