Sunderland beaches to fly Blue Flags this summer

PRESTIGIOUS Blue Flag and Seaside Awards will be flying at Sunderland’s beaches this summer after Roker and Seaburn beaches were again recognised in the awards.

Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy’s Blue Flag and Seaside Awards are aimed at improving the quality of England’s coastline and promoting the country’s best beaches and Seaburn and Roker were two of just 61 sites around the country to be awarded both.

The news will be a boost to the reputation of the coastal resort which suffered unwelcome publicity when the sea around its beaches was identified as the most likely cause of an outbreak of norovirus last summer among dozens of competitors in a high-profile triathalon.

During the UK leg of the World Triathlon Championship Series held in Roker last year, almost 90 people reported symptoms of diarrhoea and vomiting, later put down to norovirus.

After an investigation, officials said open-water swimming during the race was the “most likely source of infection” a conclusion reached in part because the only common exposure shared between those who fell ill was that they all swam in the sea.

However, water samples from the race area were collected by British Triathlon before and during the event, which officials said returned excellent water quality results and Northumbria Water, which is responsible for water supply and public sewers in the North East, said its investigations had shown “there had been no discharges from any of our assets that might negatively impact water quality”.

This latest news of Blue Flags and Seaside Awards will help the area put that controversial episode behind it.

Sunderland City Council’s director of environmental services, Marc Morley, said: “Flying these flags at Roker and Seaburn shows visitors that our seafront is a safe, clean and well-managed space and that it meets the high standards necessary to be awarded a blue flag.

“Sunderland has a beautiful coastline, but winning these awards is a testament to the hard work of everyone who works to maintain our beaches and keep them clean, including the residents and visitors who look after the environment and tidy up after themselves.”

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: “These awards are a credit to the collective efforts of beach managers, volunteers, residents and businesses who have worked tirelessly to maintain, protect and improve some of our best-loved and most popular beaches and we’d like to take this moment to recognise and applaud them.

“Visitors to a beach flying a Blue Flag can be assured the beach will be clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well as international bathing water quality standards.

“The Blue Flag is the world’s most recognised award for beaches and marinas and, to qualify, each applicant must meet and maintain a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria.

“Seaside Awards are presented to the best beaches in England and celebrate the quality and diversity of our coastline.”

Blue Flag is an international award managed by Keep Britain Tidy on behalf of the Foundation for Environmental Education.

It is only presented to beaches with water which has achieved the highest classification as set by the EU Bathing Water Directive and has an environmental education programme, while Seaside Awards are presented to the best beaches in England and celebrate the quality and diversity of our coastline.

Among the criteria beaches are assessed against are:

• Safety and services, such as first aid, and lifeguards where necessary
• Environmental information including displaying details about local ecosystems
• Water quality – Blue Flag beaches must meet the ‘excellent’ water quality standard as set out in the EU bathing water directive and Seaside Award winners must meet the ‘sufficient’ standard.
• Environmental management, including litter and waste.