Brits told to avoid 10 UK beaches because of dirty waters that may make you ill

14 September 2023 , 15:04

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The River Wharfe at Ilkley topped the list (Image: PA)

A beach in the north of England has the worst water for swimming, according to a new study.

Out of 400 beaches examined by rubbish removal company Clear It Waste, The Wharfe at Cromwheel in Ilkley, West Yorkshire is the place to avoid if you don't fancy the idea of falling sick. Clean water campaigners have long been arguing that the beach and the river which runs along it are not safe.

Yorkshire Water has admitted that sewage and farm run-off has found its way into the water, leading the Clean River Group to start monitoring how many wild swimmers fall ill after taking a dip there. The group has argued that Environment Agency tests designed to monitor how toxic the water is are not done in the right place and that already grim results are not showing the true, even grimmer nature of the problem.

Now a new water quality study has found that the Intestinal Enterococci (E. faecalis) and the Escherichia coli (E.coli) count at The Wharfe is incredibly high. According to government guidelines, the levels are far too great for the water to be safely swam in, without risking falling ill.

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Surfers Against Sewage have long been protesting about the quality of water around the UK (Greg Martin)

In recent years Britain’s beaches have hit the headlines amid news that some have faced swimming suspensions and calls to avoid entering the water after heavy rainfall led to sewage leaks.

UK's 20 most polluted rivers named in Top of the Poops league table - see list

Blackpool North was second on the list. A sewage leak warning was put in place for the Fylde coast beaches that surround Blackpool after heavy rainfall caused waste water to be discharged into the sea in March. Blackpool North was one of the worst areas affected by that incident.

At the time Surfers Against Sewage, a group which campaigns for better water quality in the UK, said swimming in these areas could lead to infections and illnesses caused by bacteria and viruses.

While Blackpool may be the place to go if you want a night on the tiles and under the lights, it is probably best avoided if you're looking to take a dip. Five of Blackpool’s beaches have received a pollution risk level of 10/10 by the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs.

Weston Main in Somerset came in third on the list of beaches to avoid for those looking to enjoy a dip in the sea, scoring 4.99/10 overall for water cleanliness. The beach in North Somerset’s low score can be attributed to a water assessment classification of poor, as well as the high numbers of E. faecalis ( 113 cfu/100ml ) and high E. coli counts ( 76 cfu/100ml ) found in the water.

The average E. faecalis counted in Weston Main is over 60% higher than Weston-super-Mare Sand Bay ( 42 cfu/100ml ), North Somerset’s second beach to make the top ten. Below are the most polluted beaches according to the study. The full data set can be found here.