Six North East beaches have once again scooped a prestigious award to be crowned among the cleanest in Britain.
Beaches in Tynemouth, Whitley Bay and Sunderland all scooped the Blue Flag award.
The Blue Flag is an international award and quality mark bestowed upon beaches.
Blue Flag beaches are recognised for their cleanliness, safety and for meeting the highest environmental standards, as well as the toughest international water quality standards.
The North East beaches to be awarded the prize are:
Tynemouth Longsands,
King Edwards' Bay, Tynemouth
Whitley Bay beach
Roker beach, Sunderland
Seaburn beach, Sunderland
- Saltburn by the Sea, Redcar and Cleveland
The need for facilities, including sustainable rubbish disposal points, is one of the reasons wilder beaches in areas like Northumberland haven't been found eligible for the award.
Tynemouth Longsands once again claimed the award - despite being close to Cullercoats beach, where the public have been Public warned not to swim at Cullercoats beach as water quality probe continues.
And Seaburn beach gets the flag despite concerns being raised by the EU about sewage in the sea at nearby Whitburn.
Meanwhile, Sandhaven Beach, in South Tyneside, has been handed a Seaside Award, as has Seaton Carew Central, in Hartlepool, and all the Blue Flag winners other than Saltburn by the Sea.
Life on the Farne Islands: Sleep in a lighthouse surrounded by puffins, but don't expect a shower
The Seaside Award is Keep Britain Tidy’s own award for the beaches that meet "the very highest standards for cleanliness and facilities".
Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive Allison Ogden-Newton said: "We as individuals feel emotionally connected to the environment more than ever, with so many experiencing eco-anxiety.
"Keep Britain Tidy continues to push for more environmentally responsible beaches, where visitors needn’t feel this stress.
"We’re incredibly pleased to have even more winners this year than last, proving the great dedication of the beach staff.
"From environmental education for the local community and ensuring responsible beach use, to cleaning regimes and an increasing number of recycling facilities, it is a full-time commitment to create beaches worthy of the awards.
"Thanks to the Blue Flag and Seaside Awards, visitors can be reassured their destination is cared for and they will be able to help maintain the high standards of these awards thanks to their environmental initiatives."
Celebrating the news, North Tyneside mayor Norma Redfearn said: "I couldn’t be prouder to see our beaches receive these awards for yet another year and it’s fantastic news for residents and visitors alike.
"The Blue Flag and Seaside Awards signify that these beaches are absolutely first-class and that people can enjoy themselves in a clean, healthy, and safe environment.
"We have continued to invest heavily in our award-winning coastline over the years and I would like to thank all of our staff who work so hard to maintain such high standards and to those residents and visitors who take such good care of our coast."
Public warned not to swim at Cullercoats beach as water quality probe continues
Sunshine is here to stay with highs of 18C expected in the North East this week
