Plan to invest £110m in Yorkshire beaches

Scarborough's beaches are included in the £110m scheme

More than £100m is to be invested in a project to bring clean water and coveted "blue flag" status to eight beaches along Yorkshire's coastline.

The five-year plan by Yorkshire Water aims to improve a 50-mile stretch of coastline from Withernsea to Staithes.

Officials at the water firm said they hoped the beaches would achieve a new new European regulations "excellent" standard that came into force in 2015.

Yorkshire Water said it would invest £110m in improvements along the coast.

Some of the work would include better sewage treatment and preventing agricultural run-off.

The water firm would be working with the Environment Agency, Scarborough Borough Council, East Riding of Yorkshire Council, North Yorkshire County Council, the National Farmers' Union and Defra.

Gary Verity, the chief executive of Welcome to Yorkshire, the organisation that promotes tourism in the county, said the new regulations were tight.

Mr Verity said: "Our aspiration is to see Blue Flags flying along our entire coastline.

"This would give us a higher concentration of Blue Flags than the likes of Portugal, a country widely regarded as having some of the finest beaches and bathing waters in Europe."

"However, we will only be able to achieve this ambitious goal if the various organisations whose activities can impact on bathing water quality come together and work together.