A record number of beaches have been awarded Blue Flags for cleanliness in what is being hailed as a boost for British tourism.

A total of 83 beaches passed tough tests on clean water, management and visitor facilities.

Fourteen new beaches and 18 re-entries have made the grade this time.

The British seaside has never been as safe and clean as it is today

Michael Meacher Environment Minister

The Blue Flags are awarded by ENCAMS, an environmental campaigns group which organises the Blue Flag programme and the Keep Britain Tidy campaign.

Chief executive Alan Woods said: "This is superb news for Britain and the two million people working in tourism, especially after the setbacks caused by 11 September and last year's foot-and-mouth crisis.

"It also builds on the results released recently by the Environment Agency that showed that 397 beaches in England have water that is clean enough to pass European Law."

Among the new entries for 2002 are resorts such as Branksome Chine, Poole; Southend; and Tynemouth, Whitley Bay.

Re-entries include Skegness and Tenby.

Highest standards

But there is bad news for popular resorts Great Yarmouth and Bognor Regis, which lost their Blue Flags this year.

This year, Britain is also piloting an award for rural beaches on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education.

A total of 12, including seven in Wales have made the grade.

Blue Flags are also awarded to resorts with well managed marinas and 27 are in this year's list.

Environment Minister Michael Meacher said: "The British seaside has never been as safe and clean as it is today, thanks to initiatives such as Blue Flag, which has given those who look after our beaches a target of excellence to aim for.

Bins

"For many families these next few days will give them some quality time to spend together and what better place than the seaside."

The Blue Flag has become the definitive international measure of beaches since it began back in 1987.

It is regarded as a highly effective monitoring system, because it measures everything from accessibility for disabled visitors through to the number of bins provided and litter left on the beach.

Water must be clean enough to have achieved the highest standard defined by European Law.

Award winners can fly a Blue Flag during the bathing season and must display their water quality and the facilities they provide on easy to read beach signs.

Blue flag beaches in the UK are, grouped by region:

Scotland


• Aberdour, Silver Sands, Fife
  
• Burntisland, Fife
  
• Elie Harbour, Fife
  
• Nairn, Central, Highlands
  
• St Andrews, West Sands, Fife

  Wales
  

• Aberporth, Ceredigion
  
• Abersoch, Gwynedd
  
• Amroth, Pembrokeshire
  
• Barmouth, Abermaw, Gwynedd
  
• Borth, Ceredigion
  
• Bracelet Bay, Swansea
  
• Caswell Bay, Swansea
  
• Langland Bay, Swansea
  
• Llanddona, Anglesey
  
• Llanddwyn (Newborough), Anglesey
  
• Lydstep, Pembrokeshire
  
• New Quay, Traeth yr Harbwr, Ceredigion
  
• Newgale, Pembrokeshire
  
• Pembrey Country Park, Cefn Sidan, Carmarthenshire
  
• Poppit Sands, Pembrokeshire
  
• Port Eynon, Swansea
  
• Porthcawl, Rest Bay, Bridgend
  
• Pwllheli, Marian y De, Gwynedd
  
• Saundersfoot, Pembrokeshire
  
• St David's, Whitesands, Pembrokeshire
  
• Tenby castle, Pembrokeshire
  
• Tenby north, Pembrokeshire
  
• Tenby south, Pembrokeshire
  
• Trearddur Bay, Anglesey
  Trearddur Bay, Porth Dafarch, Anglesey
  
• Tresaith, Ceredigion

  Northern Ireland
  

• Benone Strand, Magilligan, Londonderry
  
• Millisle Lagoon, County Down
  
• Portrush, East Strand, Antrim
  
• Portrush, West Strand, Londonderry
  
• Portstewart Strand, Londonderry
  
• Tyrella, County Down
  

  South West
  

• Bigbury-on-Sea, Devon
  
• Blackpool Sands, Devon
  
• Bournemouth Alum Chime, Dorset
  
• Bournemouth Durley Chine, Dorset
  
• Bournemouth Fishermans Walk, Dorset
  
• Challaborough, Devon
  
• Croyde Bay, Devon
  
• Dawlish Warren, Devon
  
• Polzeath, Cornwall
  
• Branksome Chine, Poole, Dorset
  
• Shore Road, Poole, Dorset
  
• Poole, Sandbanks, Poole, Dorset
  
• Swanage central, Dorset
  
• Torbay, Breakwater, Shoalstone, Devon
  
• Torbay, Corbyn Head (Torre Abbey), Devon
  
• Torbay, Goodrington, South Sands, Devon
  
• Torbay, Meadfoot, Devon
  
• Torbay, Oddicombe, Devon
  
• Torbay, Paignton Sands, Devon
  
• Torbay, Preston, Devon
  
• West Beachlands central, Hampshire
  
• Woolacombe, Devon
  

  South East
  

• Birchington, Minnis Bay, Kent
  
• Felixstowe, Suffolk
  
• Sheerness, Beach Street , Kent
  
• West Beachlands west, Hampshire
  
• West Wittering, West Sussex

  East of England
  

• Cromer, Norfolk
  
• Dovercourt Bay, Essex
  
• Lowestoft, South of Pier, Suffolk
  
• Sheringham, Norfolk
  
• Southend, Shoebury Common, Essex
  
• Southend, Shoeburyness East, Essex
  
• Southend, Three Shells, Essex
  
• Southwold Pier, Suffolk
  

  East Midlands
  

• Mablethorpe central, Lincolnshire
  
• Skegness, Tower Esplanade, Lincolnshire
  
• Sutton-on-Sea central, Lincolnshire
  

  North East
  

• Sandhaven, South Shields, Tyne and Wear
  
• Tynemouth, Cullercoats, Tyne and Wear
  
• Tynemouth, King Edwards Bay, Tyne and Wear
  
• Tynemouth, Longsands South, Tyne and Wear
  
• Whitburn North, Seaburn, Tyne and Wear
  
• Whitburn South, Roker, Tyne and Wear
  
• Whitley Bay south, Tyne and Wear