Llandudno beaches gained two blue flags

The beaches - Llandudno North, Llandudno West and Rhos-on-Sea by Colwyn Bay - are three of the seven additional ones in Wales to receive the award this year.

It the first time Rhos-on-Sea beach has ever qualified for the flag.

Wales now has a total of 33 beaches flying the flag, which guarantees good water quality and certain standards for beach cleanliness and services.

Tony Mead, the authority's principal harbour and maritime officer, said a �55m water treatment plant built by Welsh Water had played a big part in the award.

"There is a great deal of work involved by a whole raft of council departments," he said.

Blue flag beaches in north west Wales Benllech Llandona Llanddwyn Trearddur Bay Porth Dafarrch Colwyn Bay (Rhos on Sea) Llandudno North Llandudno West Abersoch Barmouth Criccieth Dinas Dinlle Fairbourne Pwllhelli

"Perhaps the biggest element is the achievement of the EC bathing quality in conjunction with everything that we have to do onshore to meet the award criteria."

He described water quality in the past as "variable".

"Sometimes it could be extremely good, but it lacked consistency, and it was very difficult to achieve the EC guideline standards before the new treatment works were put in place."

In addition to the water, the council had to meet onshore criteria, such as cleanliness, public safety and information.

David Williams, chairman of Llandudno Hospitality Association and a hotel owner, said businesses involved with tourism were delighted with the awards.

"We have waited so many years for this day. It's a dream come true for all of us.

You will not always see the sun, but you can be certain that the award beaches will be safe, clean and well managed Bob Gilchrist

"We still have the families coming here and people are aware of their environment and they want safe beaches and safe bathing water.

"They have now got it in Llandudno and in Conwy in general."

Anglesey also gained an extra blue flag for its beach at Benllech, along with Criccieth, Dinas Dinlle and Fairbourne beaches in Gwynedd, which were not on the list last year.

Blue flags were introduced in 1987 across Europe and beyond to let the public identify which beaches met stringent standards of cleanliness.

The number awarded in Wales has risen dramatically in the last decade, from two to this year's 33.

Bob Gilchrist, director of Keep Wales Tidy, which administers the flag award in Wales, said: "We have beaches in Wales that compare to the best in Europe.