Liverpool's historic docks win Blue Flag award for cleanliness

The marina is home to a range of wildlife and is rarely polluted, conservationists say

Liverpool's historic docks have become the first English marina to receive a Blue Flag award for water quality.

The Royal Albert Dock and Salthouse Dock were recognised in the scheme run by the Foundation for Environmental Education.

The Canal and Rivers Trust, which looks after waters in the city's South Docks, also won the honour for management and boating services.

The docks host more than 30 species of marine life, including blue mussels.

Ecologist Diane Rollin said "people only see the birds, but it's what lives in the waters that's more fascinating".

The docks are also home to European conger eels - locally nicknamed "dock ness monsters" due to their snake-like appearance - while moon jellyfish can be seen floating in the waters in the summer.

Albert Dock opened in 1846 and is now home to many shops and restaurants

Ms Rollin said the water quality was "consistently high" and any pollution from boats was always cleaned up quickly.

Kate Gordon, enterprise manager at The Canal and River Trust, said the water provided the "backdrop" for many of the city's Grade I-listed buildings.

"This is a strategic priority area for us," she said.

"We want to get more people to connect with this waterspace and just feel proud of it as part of Liverpool."

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