Beaches sewage: Full list of warnings for May Bank holiday as Surfers Against Sewage tell swimmers to avoid 116 beaches across the UK as raw waste discharged into sea

UK holidaymakers have been warned not to swim at 116 beaches due to sewage spills ahead of the May bank holiday weekend. Surfers Against Sewage, one of the UK's most successful marine conservation and campaigning charities, has published the alerts on its website.

The charity has warned that the seas at the beaches have been polluted by storm sewage or given a poor water classification. Surfers Against Sewage adds that sewage pollution is “everything we flush down the loo or wash down the drain that is released into the environment through sewer overflows, or that washes off the land and roads”.

The alert reads on the website: “Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours.” The campaign group Surfers Against Sewage monitors the water quality at 383 river and coastal locations throughout the country. 

During periods of heavy rainfall sewer networks can become overwhelmed resulting in sewage being discharged from combined sewer overflows (CSOs) instead of being treated. Water companies are issued with permits that allow them to discharge sewage if their networks are overwhelmed by rainwater in what should be exceptional circumstances.

Listed below are the beaches across the UK that have been marked as a pollution risk today (Friday 3 May). The public are advised not to swim at beaches marked with a pollution risk as there is the potential to swallow water that could be contaminated with faecal matter leading to nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, cramps, inflamed stomach and intestines.

• Ballyholme

• Haverigg

• Walney West Shore

• Walney Sandy Gap

• Walney Biggar Bank

• Blackpool North

• St Annes North

• Colwyn Bay Porth Eirias

• Colwyn Bay

• Aberffraw

• Aberdyfi

• Traeth Gwyn New Quay

• Llangrannog

• Cilborth

• Newport North

• Nolton Haven

• Druidston Haven

• Little Haven

• Broadhaven Beach

• Dale

• West Angle

• Barafundle

• Manorbier

• Coppet Hall

• Saundersfoot

• Pembrey

• Langland West

• Limeslade Bay

• Bracelet Bay

• Ogmore By Sea

• Weston-super-Mare Sand Bay

• Weston Main

• Weston-super-Mare Uphill Slipway

• Burnham Jetty North

• Blue Anchor West

• Dunster North West

• Minehead Terminus

• Lynmouth

• Combe Martin

• Ilfracombe Hele

• Woolacombe Village

• Croyde Bay

• Instow

• Westward Ho!

• Summerleaze

• Widemouth Sand

• Crackington Haven

• Trebarwith Strand

• Harlyn Bay

• Porthluney

• Millendreath

• Seaton (Cornwall)

• Plymouth Hoe East

• Plymouth Hoe West

• Mill Bay

• Goodrington

• Meadfoot

• Torre Abbey

• Shaldon

• Teignmouth Holcombe

• Dawlish Coryton Cove

• Dawlish Town

• Exmouth

• Sandy Bay

• Budleigh Salterton

• Sidmouth Town

• Seaton (Devon)

• Lyme Regis Front Beach

• Seatown

• West Bay

• Chesil Cove at Chiswell

• Swanage Central

• Shore Road Beach, Poole

• Poole Harbour at Shore Road

• Bournemouth Pier

• Hengistbury West, Bournemouth

• Friars Cliff, Christchurch

• Christchurch Avon Beach

• Colwell Bay

• Totland Bay

• Shanklin

• Sandown

• Yaverland

• Whitecliff Bay

• Bembridge

• St Helens

• Seagrove

• Ryde

• Cowes

• Gurnard

• Hillhead

• Lee-on-Solent

• Stokes Bay

• Southsea East

• Eastney

• Beachlands West

• Beachlands Central

• Pagham

• Bognor Regis (Aldwick)

• Bognor Regis East

• Felpham

• Middleton-on-Sea

• Littlehampton

• Seaford

• Littlestone

• St Marys Bay (Kent)

• Minster Leas

• Sheerness

• Southend Thorpe Bay

• Southend Three Shells

• Heacham

• Bridlington South Beach

• Scarborough South Bay

• Tynemouth Cullercoats

• Kinghorn (Harbour Beach)

• Lower Largo