UK beaches: The most polluted beaches with appalling pollution levels and high contamination mapped - see full list

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A new study has named and shamed the UK’s top 10 dirtiest beaches that have high levels of contamination.

Retailer Cartridge Save has unveiled the UK's filthiest beaches based on appalling pollution levels. This list includes popular beaches at Brighton and Hunstanton.

This survey delved into water quality by analysing not only the concentrations of bacteria such as E. coli and intestinal enterococci but also took into account TripAdvisor reviews of the assorted beaches.

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A "water cleanliness score" was then assigned to each beach, on a scale where ten signals pristine waters. Topping the list as the UK's most polluted beach is Haverigg Beach, a sandy beach located near Barrow-in-Furness in Cumbria. It received a disheartening water cleanliness score of just 2.16.

In second came Southend Westcliff Bay, with a slightly higher score of 2.76. Two of Southend-on-Sea's beaches have been included in the top ten dirtiest list. Listed below are the UK’s top 10 polluted beaches and their ratings.

https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/19134527/

10. Lowestoft

  • E. Coli - 45
  • Int. Enterococci - 12
  • Least 'excellent' ratings - three
  • Water cleanliness score - 7.45

Lowestoft in Suffolk rounds out the top 10 dirtiest beaches in the UK with a score of 7.45 out of 10. Although it ranks 45th for E. coli, it places 12th for intestinal enterococci and third for the fewest ‘Excellent’ ratings.

9. Lancing, Beach Green

  • E. Coli - 25
  • Int. Enterococci - seven
  • Least 'excellent' ratings - 26
  • Water cleanliness score - 7.29

Lancing Beach Green in Lancing follows in ninth with a score of 7.29 and it ranks 25th for E. coli and 7th for intestinal enterococci.

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8. Seascale

  • E. Coli - five
  • Int. Enterococci - 11
  • Least 'excellent' ratings - 29
  • Water cleanliness score - 7.28

Seascale in Cumbria takes eighth place with a score of 7.28 out of 10 and ranks 5th for E. coli and 11th for intestinal enterococci.

7. Three Shells Beach

  • E. Coli - 13
  • Int. Enterococci - 20
  • Least 'excellent' ratings - two
  • Water cleanliness score - 7.22

Three Shells Beach in Southend-on-Sea ranks seventh with a score of 7.22 out of 10. Despite ranking 20th for intestinal enterococci and 13th for E. coli, the beach has received only 9.38 percent positive reviews from visitors, placing it in the second-worst spot in this category.

6. Brighton Beach

  • E. Coli - 14
  • Int. Enterococci - six
  • Least 'excellent' ratings - 17
  • Water cleanliness score - 6.92

The sixth spot goes to Brighton Beach in Brighton, with a score of 6.92 out of 10. Despite being one of the UK’s most famous and bustling beaches year-round, Brighton Beach struggles with high levels of intestinal enterococci bacteria (ranking sixth) and E. coli (ranking 14th).

This shows that even well-loved and popular spots can have significant cleanliness problems, highlighting the importance of checking water quality before visiting.

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5. Littlestone

  • E. Coli - four
  • Int. Enterococci - five
  • Least 'excellent' ratings - 21
  • Water cleanliness score - 6.51

Rounding out the top five is Littlestone Beach in Littlestone with a score of 6.51 out of 10. Ranked fourth for E. coli levels and fifth for intestinal enterococci, it’s best to avoid this beach.

4. Hunstanton (Old Hunstanton)

  • E. Coli - six
  • Int. Enterococci - four
  • Least 'excellent' ratings - 44
  • Water cleanliness score - 6.34

Old Hunstanton had the fourth-highest levels of intestinal enterococci and the sixth-highest levels of E. coli.

3. Fraisthorpe

  • E. Coli - three
  • Int. Enterococci - two
  • Least 'excellent' ratings - 30
  • Water cleanliness score - 3.83

Fraisthorpe Beach in Fraisthorpe (3.83/10) and Old Hunstanton Beach in Hunstanton (6.34/10) rank third and fourth respectively. Fraisthorpe recorded the second-highest levels of intestinal enterococci and the third-highest levels of E. coli.

2. Southend Westcliff Bay

Following closely behind is Southend Westcliff Bay in Southend-on-Sea, with a score of 2.76 out of 10. This beach had the highest levels of intestinal enterococci and the second-highest levels of E. coli. Additionally, only 40% of online reviews rated the beach as excellent.

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1. Haverigg

  • E.Coli - one
  • Int. Enterococci - three
  • Least 'excellent' ratings - 34
  • Water cleanliness score - 2.16

Haverigg Beach in Haverigg, Cumbria is the dirtiest beach in the UK, with a water cleanliness score of just 2.16 out of 10. Haverigg Beach recorded the highest levels of E. coli of any UK beach analysed and ranked third for levels of intestinal enterococci. Despite these worrying findings, many visitors have left positive reviews, describing enjoyable experiences at the beach.

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