Bridlington: South Beach water quality sparks warning for bathers

The reason for the poor rating needs further analysis, according to the Environment Agency

People have been advised not to go into the sea off Bridlington's South Beach due to its poor water quality rating.

The Environment Agency (EA) said the reason for the rating had not yet been established and further analysis of water tests was needed.

The low rating was a "mystery", especially given the town's North Beach had retained its good rating, East Riding of Yorkshire Council said.

Water quality is measured between May and September.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the council was informed there was no immediate explanation for the low rating.

'No silver bullet'

Councillor Andy Walker, who represents the area, said it was an important issue for the town, given it was a major tourist destination.

"There seems to be some mystery around it, it's not straightforward," he said.

"We receive a lot of inquiries about this and although it's not bathing season at the moment, bathers do go in there."

Other beaches in the area have seen improvements in water quality, with both Skipsea and Hornsea getting an excellent rating.

Martin Christmas, from the EA, told councillors there was no "silver bullet" to explain the water quality issue.

"We'll need to continue our analysis and put measures in place to get standards back up.

"When talking about bathing water, we're principally talking about the level of bacteria in the waters that have been designated as bathing areas."

He said a number of factors could have an impact, including sewage and harbour activities.

"It's also affected by birds, which is why there are efforts to move seagulls on from some beaches and from dogs, as well as agriculture," he added.