It's not been great news recently for the British beach, according the Marine Conservation society, the number of cigarette butts littering UK beaches actually doubled last year and almost two-thirds of the litter recorded was plastic and therefore unlikely to break down. It seems that wet weather in the UK may also have taken its toll by causing more raw sewage to be discharged from the waste water system; the number of British beaches classed as "excellent" for the quality of their bathing water fell from 82% in 2011 to 58.2% in 2012.
Of course, the beaches where you are may be very different – perhaps the water is as clear as it's ever been. If there's a beautiful beach near you, we would love to see it.
Whether you want to recommend an outstanding beach or show us what's spoiling your coastline or affecting the marine life, please contribute a photograph or video via GuardianWitness. We're hoping to create a map of the best – and the worst.
Closes 2 September 2013
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