Region's beaches among the best in the country
Beaches in the North East and North Yorkshire have scooped 'Blue Flag' awards for being the most beautiful in the country.
The following beaches have been awarded with Blug Flag status:
Seaburn, Sunderland
Roker, Sunderland
Longsands, North Tyneside
King Edwards Bay, North Tyneside
Whitley Bay, North Tyneside
Sandhaven, South Tyneside
Whitby, North Yorkshire
Scarborough North Bay, North Yorkshire
An international award for beach quality, Blue Flags recognise clean water, litter-free sands and good facilities.
The highly desired awards are only given to beaches that meet the highest standards of cleanliness and safety.
The awards are administered by Keep Britain Tidy and beaches must fulfil strict requirements, including tough bathing water quality, enforcement of dog byelaws, regular cleaning and a lifeguard service, to achieve the accolades.
Keep Britain Tidy's Coastal Award Manager Paul Todd said: