Award-winning Morecambe beach could also face failure

Morecambe North Beach.Morecambe North Beach.
Morecambe North Beach.
Lancaster City Council has scooped a top award placing two of Morecambe’s beaches among the best in the UK.

But one of the beaches receiving an award could also face failure over new EU rules.

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Keep Britain Tidy on Wedensday announced that Morecambe’s North and South beaches are two of 14 in the North West to receive a Seaside Award for offering visitors great facilities alongside a litter-free and safe environment.

The awards come just days after new EU rules for bathing water quality came into force sparking fears Morecambe’s South beach, sited west of the Midland Hotel, could fail to meet the mark.

The regulations, effective from May 15, cut acceptable levels of harmful bacteria in half and are in line with current World Health organisation guidelines.

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And the Environment Agency has warned that Morecambe South beach is one of 25 in England at risk of failing to meet the new standards, effectively making it unfit for bathing.

But Keep Britain Tidy’s Coastal Awards manager, Paul Todd, was keen to celebrate the beach awards.

He said: “It is great to be able to celebrate another fantastic year for the Blue Flag and Seaside Awards.

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“As an environmental charity, Keep Britain Tidy is committed to improving the quality of the places where people live, work and holiday and these winners have proved their commitment to providing the best possible beaches for locals and visitors alike.

“The public can be sure, if they visit a Blue Flag or Seaside Award winning beach, that they are visiting one of the best beaches in the world.”

Seaside Awards recognise and reward beaches in England that achieve the highest standards of beach management and, in the case of bathing beaches, meet the required mandatory standards for water quality.