Fewer Blue Flags for South East's beaches

A number of beaches in Kent and Sussex have lost their Blue Flag status in this year's awards.

Anti-litter charity Keep Britain Tidy is responsible for the Blue Flag scheme in England.

Blue flags are awarded to beaches which have good facilities, are litter free and have achieved a high standard of water quality.

Hove Lawns and West Street beaches in Sussex and six beaches in Thanet failed to keep their awards this year.

The six Thanet beaches which lost their Blue Flags were: Margate Main Sands, Minnis Bay, Ramsgate Main Sands, St Mildred's Bay in Westgate, Stone Bay in Broadstairs and West Bay in Westgate.

However, all six beaches were awarded Quality Coast Awards.

The Quality Coast Awards (QCAs) were introduced by Keep Britain Tidy in 2007 to reward beaches in England deemed to have achieved the highest standards of beach management.

Littlehampton Coastguards in West Sussex joined seven East Sussex and seven other Kent beaches to be awarded QCAs.

In total, 108 beaches in England were awarded Quality Coast Awards.