Find out which North East beaches will be flying a Blue Flag this summer
Seven of the region's beaches have been awarded prestigious Blue Flag status for the year.
Awarded by the environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, Blue Flag is an international award given for well-maintained, clean beaches that have a high-water quality.
Beaches are judged on criteria including whether they have safety services like lifeguards, information about the local environment, its water quality, and facilities for discarding litter.
Across the country 77 beaches won a Blue Flag Award.
The seven beaches in our region to be awarded Blue Flag status are:
King Edward's Bay, North Tyneside
Tynemouth Longsands, North Tyneside
Whitley Bay, North Tyneside
Roker, Sunderland
Seaburn, Sunderland
Scarborough North Bay, North Yorkshire Council
Whitby, North Yorkshire Council
North Tyneside was given the most Blue Flags in our region for its beaches, with three gaining the award. Since 1994, King Edward's Bay, Longsands in Tynemouth and Whitley Bay have achieved the honour every year.
Councillor Sandra Graham, is North Tyneside’s cabinet member for the environment, said: “The awards keep coming for our stunning coastline, but we take nothing for granted, and that’s why our staff and volunteers continue to work hard all year round to maintain the highest standards."
Cllr Graham added: “We remain optimistic about the progress being made to regain the Blue Flag at Cullercoats. And we will commit extra resources again to keep our coast and beaches pristine this summer.”
Roker and Seaburn were the only beaches on Wearside to be given Blue Flag status, but it is the twelfth consecutive year that they have won a coveted Seaside Award.
Councillor John Price, from Sunderland City Council said: "I’m delighted to see our city’s beautiful beaches once again recognised with the prestigious Blue Flag and Seaside Awards.
"Flying these flags at Roker and Seaburn shows everyone who visits that our seafront is clean, safe and meets the high standards necessary to be awarded a blue flag.
"We're lucky in Sunderland to have such fantastic beaches, but this national recognition is testament to the hard work of everyone who works to keep our beaches clean, tidy and well-maintained."
Saltburn in North Yorkshire has lost its Blue Flag status, due to poor water quality in the area.
Seaside Awards were also given out and celebrate the quality of England's coast. They are to signal clean, safe and well-managed stretches of coastline to locals and visitors.
Beaches given a Seaside Award are:
King Edwards Bay North Tyneside
Tynemouth Longsands, North Tyneside
Whitley Bay, North Tyneside
Sandhaven South Shields, South Tyneside
Roker, Sunderland
Seaburn, Sunderland
Seaton Carew Central, Hartlepool
Redcar Lifeboat Road, Redcar and Cleveland
Saltburn, Redcar and Cleveland
Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive Allison Ogden-Newton said: "Visitors to a beach flying a Blue Flag or Seaside Award can be assured the beach will be clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well as international bathing water quality standards.
"The Blue Flag is the world’s most recognised award for beaches and marinas and, to qualify, each applicant must meet and maintain a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria."
She added: "We’d therefore like to recognise and applaud all those who have worked so hard to protect and improve some of our best-loved and most popular beaches.
"The collective efforts of beach managers, volunteers, residents and businesses all contribute to the success of these sites in achieving the incredibly high standards demanded."
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