Cornwall has 24 beaches among the Seaside Award winners

Independent national charity Environmental Campaigns (ENCAMS) - organisers of the Keep Britain Tidy Campaign - has selected 24 beaches in the county for its annual seaside award.

They are among a record 332 beaches in Britain to receive the honour which recognises water quality, cleanliness of beach facilities and the availability of first aid.

Among the beaches making the grade for the first time is St Mary's in Torbay.

Cornwall Seaside Award Winners Constantine Bay, Padstow Crackington Haven, near Bude Crooklets, Bude Fistral, Newquay Gyllyngvase, Falmouth Harlyn Bay, Padstow Kennack Sands Mawgan Porth, Newquay Polzeath Porth, Newquay Porthcothan Porthmeor, St Ives Porthminster, St Ives Porthpean Portreath Praa Sands Readymoney, Fowey Sandymouth, Bude Sennen Cove Summerleaze, Bude Trebarwith Strand Trevone Bay Treyarnon Bay, Padstow Widemouth Sands, Bude

The award winners have passed strict tests on beach management.

This includes making sure they provide first aid facilities, good access for disabled visitors and have sands that are free of litter and dog dirt.

The water has to be up to European Union minimum legal standards for cleanliness.

This information, together with details on all the facilities on offer at the beach, must be displayed on easy-to-read signs for the public to see.

ENCAMS regional director Amanda Booth said: "People don't just come to the beach to swim.

"If you have got a young family, you want lots of facilities as well and you want them to be clean and well-maintained.

"Our awards are special because they cover the whole beach experience and show they are really well managed."

Across the UK, 332 beaches received seaside awards this year, compared with 317 last year.

When the awards began in 1992, only 92 beaches made the grade.