Councillor wants investigation after blue flag loss

Mundesley is one of three Norfolk beaches to lose blue flag status this year

A water company has been accused of failing to investigate why a beach was "robbed" of its prestigious blue flag status.

Wendy Fredericks, deputy leader of North Norfolk District Council, said Anglian Water needed to do more to restore the water quality at Mundesley.

She said the loss of the blue flag was "devastating to the people of Mundesley".

Anglian Water said it was investing £2m to reduce storm overflow discharge rates at the beach.

East Runton, Mundesley and Sea Palling all lost their prestigious blue flag status earlier this year.

Ms Fredericks said: "We lost our blue flag status in a period of drought; it was not down to storm surges.

"We feel, as a community, that we would like our blue flag back, please."

Blue flag status is only awarded to beaches that are "well managed" with "excellent water quality and environmental education programmes".

There are only three beaches in Norfolk with blue flag status and 14 in the whole of the East of England.

Water companies have previously come under fire for releasing sewage during heavy rain, however the Environment Agency said that overflows by water companies were not to blame for the blue flag losses in Norfolk.

Grant Tufts on behalf of Anglian Water said that the decision to remove a beach from being a blue flag was down to the Environment Agency but acknowldged the water company was "a factor".

He said: "We are investing about £2m to reduce storm overflow discharge rates at Mundsley, hopefully by the 2027 season that blue flag should come back all well and good."