One in four blue flag beaches 'should loses status'

MORE than a quarter of Britain's top-rated beaches should be stripped of their Blue Flag status, campaigners say.

Surfers Against Sewage (SAS) said 34 beaches are unable to comply with a requirement imposed by the Blue Flag programme to warn the public about raw sewage spilling into the sea. Britain has 131 beaches which have passed strict tests to fly the flag.

Using the Freedom of Information Act, SAS found local authorities responsible for 20 Blue Flag beaches in England, two in Scotland, nine in Wales and three in Northern Ireland did not request real-time information on combined sewage overflow (CSO) discharge. The beaches in Scotland were West Sands and Elie Ruby Bay, both in Fife