NINE beaches in Cornwall given coveted Blue Flag status - from Carbis Bay to Bude
That means they are clean, safe and have met the toughest international standards for bathing water quality
Cornwall's beaches have received a record number of Blue Flag and Seaside Awards.
Keep Britain Tidy, the organisation responsible for the awards in the UK, has announced that 16 beaches in the Duchy have been awarded one or both accolades.
The iconic Blue Flag is an international quality mark for beaches, widely considered the gold standard.
It reassures visitors and residents that Cornwall's beaches are clean, safe and recommended, boosting tourism, business and helping inspire return visits.
Eight council-run beaches have received the Blue Flag award, along with the privately-owned Carbis Bay beach.
"This year, more than ever, we are going to be relying on our country's beautiful beaches to escape for a much-needed break after all the stresses and strains of the past year.
"Last year, due to the pandemic, we did not have the opportunity to celebrate all the great award-winning beaches around the coast so this year we are delighted to have even more winners than we did in 2019, thanks to the incredible work of the teams around the country that make our beaches clean and safe for us all to enjoy.
"From environmental education for the community and ensuring responsible beach use, to cleaning regimes and an increasing number of recycling facilities, it is a full-time commitment to create beaches worthy of these awards.
"As we all plan our 2021 holidays much closer to home, thanks to the Blue Flag and Seaside Award those choosing to holiday in Cornwall near one of its award-winning beaches can be assured it will be clean and safe and meet the highest standards for water quality and management."
Allison Ogden-Newton, Keep Britain Tidy
What beaches are flying Blue Flags and Seaside Award?
Crooklets near Bude has been awarded the Blue Flag and for the first time in over 10 years, after losing out in the last awards in 2019, Polzeath has regained its Blue Flag status.
Blue Flags will also fly high at Widemouth near Bude, Trevone near Padstow, Great Western in Newquay, Porthtowan, Porthmeor in St Ives, and Gyllyngvase in Falmouth.
The privately-owned Carbis Bay beach has also been awarded a Blue Flag.
Those nine beaches, plus seven more in Cornwall, also received Seaside Awards, which recognise beaches in England that achieve the highest standards of beach management and water quality.
The newest addition to the award-winning Cornish beach team is Portreath which will now be flying its Seaside Award flag.
The other beaches to receive Seaside Awards are Summerleaze in Bude, Porth near Newquay, Perranporth, Porthminster in St Ives, and Sennen Cove, as well as all those that received Blue Flag status.
Blue Flags and Seaside Award flags, which are only given to coastal destinations that boast the highest qualities of water, facilities, safety, Keep Clean programmes, environmental education and management, will be hoisted up on May 15th.
Sharp's Brewery and Visit Cornwall provided the funding for Cornwall Council to make the applications for the awards.
Peter Marsh, Service Director for Environment at Cornwall Council, said: "It is fantastic to see that a record number of beaches in Cornwall have received these awards.
"Everyone who lives in Cornwall knows that our beaches are among the best in the world and this proves it.
"These awards are a testament to communities across Cornwall who volunteer their time to pick up litter from beaches and our teams who work so hard to keep Cornwall clean.
"They should all be rightly proud of these awards. I would also like to thank Sharp's Brewery for once again playing a key role in sponsoring the Blue Flag and Seaside applications, and Visit Cornwall which also sponsored the award applications".
Peter Marsh, Cornwall Council
North Cornwall-based Sharp's Brewery has provided ÂŁ57,000 towards the costs of Blue Flag and Seaside award applications over the last six years.
James Nicholls, Marketing Controller at Sharp's Brewery said: "With Sharp's Brewery being based in Rock, North Cornwall, the coastline and our beaches are deeply important to us. We are delighted to have supported our hard-working beach champions and local volunteers, as well as Cornwall Council, over the last six years with our support now totalling ÂŁ57,000.
"The team at Sharp's fully appreciate the hard work and dedication that goes into gaining, and keeping, so many iconic Cornish Blue Flag and Seaside Awards. Thanks, and congratulations to all of these 15 beaches and to all involved behind the scenes, from us all at Sharp's Brewery".
James Nicholls, Sharp's Brewery
Malcolm Bell, Chief Executive of Visit Cornwall, said: "Visit Cornwall is delighted to have been able to help secure these awards. Cornwall is a wonderful place to live and a wonderful place to visit. These awards reflect the quality of our beaches and we hope both locals and visitors alike will make the most of these exceptional beaches".
Malcolm Bell, Visit Cornwall
You can check the full list of Blue Flags across the UK around the world here.