31 August 2023 , 07:57
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The "dirtiest beaches in the UK" have been named and shamed in a new list - following persistent sewage leaks and heavy rainfall.
Popular family hotspots, like Caerhays near St Austell, Cornwall, are among five of the worst beaches for sewage and grime. The nation's seasides have been under scrutiny for years due to persistent sewage leaks exacerbated by constant rainfall, but the issue has come into sharper focus recently.
Earlier this year, South West Water was slapped with a hefty fine for pollution and dumping sewage in the region, sparking increased interest in the grim topic - especially given the popularity of Cornwall's coastline in particular.
Beaches in the UK, like Par beach, are popular with tourists in the summer (Getty Images/iStockphoto)A recent study conducted by rubbish removal company, Clear It Waste, has shed light on which UK beaches are the dirtiest. The comprehensive study scrutinised over 400 beaches across the UK, considering various factors such as suspension due to sewage and the presence of harmful bacteria like E. coli, Cornwall Live reports.
The study then assigned an overall water cleanliness score out of ten. Alarmingly, it found that three of the top five "dirtiest" beaches in the UK are located in Cornwall, one of which is a highly frequented family beach destination.
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Cornwall's Porthluney Beach (commonly known as Caerhays) ranked second on the list, trailing only behind Combe Martin, with an overall water cleanliness score of 7.55/10. With an average count of 75 cfu/100 ml E. coli in the water, Porthluney's water quality was assessed and classified by the Environment Agency back in 2022, and was rated sufficient - a rating that may not seem disastrous, but is indeed the lowest classification in the South West.
Cornwall's Par Sands, despite having the lowest E. faecalis count in the Southwest (80 cfu/100 ml) and boasting the lowest E. Coli count in the South West (38 cfu/100 ml), only managed to secure fourth place in the water cleanliness rankings with a score of 7.81/10.
Long Rock Beach, with its high average count of E. faecalis 262 cfu/100 ml, surprisingly ranked fifth, thanks to its modest overall water cleanliness score of 7.97/10 and an impressive pollution risk level of 0 - the lowest in the South West.
However, the dubious honour of being the dirtiest beach in the South West went to Combe Martin. With an overall water cleanliness score of just 7.20/10, it was let down by an average count of E. faecalis, 287 cfu/100 ml - the highest in the South West. Adding insult to injury, it also had a high count of E. coli too, 160 cfu/100 ml, which is a staggering 75% more than the E. coli found in the water at Par Sands in Cornwall. Combe Martin also scored a dismal 3.3/10 for the highest pollution risk level in the South West.
The list of the top five "dirtiest" beaches in the UK is as follows:
1. Combe Martin, Devon
2. Porthluney, Cornwall
3. Ilfracombe Hele, Devon
4. Par Sands, Cornwall
5. Long Rock, Cornwall
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* This article was crafted with the help of an AI tool, which speeds up The Mirror's editorial research. An editor reviewed this content before it was published. You can report any errors to [email protected]