When it comes to travelling to the beach you want blue waters, golden sand and of course, no litter. While the UK has plenty of beautiful beaches up and down the country, sometimes they can be littered with well, litter.
New research has found the UK’s dirtiest beaches, ranking them by the highest pollution levels. This is according to retailer Cartridge Save who found the top 10. The study analysed water quality by examining levels of E. coli bacteria and intestinal enterococci, alongside TripAdvisor visitor reviews for each location.
The beaches were ranked based on a “water cleanliness score” ranging from zero to 10, with 10 representing the best condition.
The team found Haverigg Beach to be the dirtiest beach in the UK, with a water cleanliness score of 2.16.
Meanwhile, Southend Westcliff Bay follows in second place, with a water quality score of 2.76. Sadly, two beaches in Southend-on-Sea have made it into the top 10.
6. Brighton Beach
E. Coli – 14
Int. Enterococci – six
Least ‘excellent’ ratings – 17
Water cleanliness score – 6.92
The sixth spot goes to Brighton Beach in Brighton, with a score of 6.92 out of 10. Despite being one of the UK’s most famous and bustling beaches year-round, Brighton Beach struggles with high levels of intestinal enterococci bacteria (ranking sixth) and E. coli (ranking 14th).
This shows that even well-loved and popular spots can have significant cleanliness problems, highlighting the importance of checking water quality before visiting.
(Image: Getty)