Scientists examine resort's poor bathing water

People have been advised to keep out of the sea at Scarborough's South Bay since 2018

Bathing water which has been regularly rated as "poor" at a North Yorkshire seaside resort is being examined by scientists to find out why.

Warning signs advising against bathing in Scarborough's South Bay have been a familiar site since 2018.

The most recent "poor" classification was based on samples taken from 2019 through to 2023, according to the Environment Agency.

Now samples of sea water are being analysed to find out what is driving the low water quality, with results of the tests due to be released next year.

A total of 20 water samples, taken from multiple locations all along the Yorkshire coast, are being gathered following a pledge in 2023 by North Yorkshire Council, the Environment Agency (EA), the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) and Yorkshire Water, "to tackle complex issues at South Bay together."

The EA said new testing technology would help them identify "exactly which bacteria are present in the water".

When the samples are analysed, alongside other environmental, climate and human factors, it should indicate the underlying causes, they said.

North Yorkshire Council's Richard Flinton said a "poor" rating was "not where we want it to be"

Claire Campbell from the EA said: "We're carrying out investigations to find out what is driving the poor water quality."

She said the new testing was in addition to a regular set of samples which establish what the levels of bacteria in the water are.

However, she said the latest testing would tell them "what's causing those high levels of bacteria and where they have come from".

Sea water from the South Bay is being examined in a series of new tests

North Yorkshire Council chief executive Richard Flinton said a bathing water classification of "poor" was "not where we want it to be".

He said the new testing regime would provide "a better opportunity than we've ever had before to properly understand the different influences on the water quality".

The new testing has been "absolutely welcomed" by the Alison Hume, the Labour MP for Scarborough and Whitby.

"We've needed it for a long time," she said.

"It's so sad that people living in Scarborough can't use the beach," she added.

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