All 20 Yorkshire bathing beaches pass water quality test

Gary Verity, from the Yorkshire Bathing Partnership, said the county had a "great coastline"

All 20 bathing beaches in Yorkshire have passed a test for water quality, the Environment Agency (EA) said.

Weekly tests were carried out during the 2013 season. Last year two of the beaches, Staithes and Sandsend, failed the water quality test.

The highest quality standard was met by 16 of the beaches, five more than the 2012 tests.

Trevor Hardy, of the EA, said: "We have seen one of the best set of results in 20 years."

He added: "The Environment Agency has been working hard to reduce discharges and agricultural run-off... that can have a detrimental effect on water quality."

The poorer results in 2012 were attributed to heavy rainfall during the year, according to the EA.

Gary Verity, from the Yorkshire Bathing Water Partnership, said: "We're delighted to see all Yorkshire's beaches have passed."

Bathing waters that met the higher guideline standard were: Bridlington North; Cayton Bay; Danes Dyke Flamborough; Flamborough South Landing; Filey; Fraisthorpe; Hornsea; Robin Hoods Bay; Sandsend; Scarborough North Bay; Scarborough South Bay; Skipsea; Tunstall; Whitby, Wilsthorpe and Withernsea.

Bathing waters that met the mandatory standard were: Bridlington South; Reighton; Runswick Bay and Staithes.

The water quality standard is set by the European Bathing Water Directive.