North Tyneside has once again scooped the most awards for its beautiful beaches than any other area in the North East.
Prestigious Blue Flags will once again fly high over the coastline at Tynemouth Longsands (south), King Edward’s Bay and Whitley Bay (south).
An international award for beach quality, Blue Flags recognise clean water, litter-free sands and top-notch facilities.
And in further recognition of the clean beaches and visitor facilities, all three, as well as Cullercoats Bay, have also received a Seaside Award.
This means the borough holds more beach awards than any other area in the region.
Speaking about the news, North Tyneside Elected Mayor Norma Redfearn said: “We are delighted that our beaches have once again been recognised in such a prestigious way.
“We are immensely lucky to have such a beautiful coastline here in North Tyneside; our beaches are among the very best in Europe and these Blue Flag awards are a real symbol of their quality.
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to all of our staff who work so hard to maintain this award-winning standard, as well as all of the visitors and businesses along our coast who always treat it with the utmost respect.
“We have continued to invest in our coastline over the years through projects such as the Seafront Master Plan for Whitley Bay and I’m very optimistic about the future for North Tyneside.”
The awards are administered by Keep Britain Tidy and beaches must fulfil strict requirements, including tough bathing water quality, enforcement of dog byelaws, regular cleaning and a lifeguard service, to achieve the accolades.
The news of the awards also comes as the council introduces a team of seasonal beach wardens to watch over the coastline.
Starting in June, their job is to keep the coastline clean, safe and well-maintained and also help to enforce the beach bylaws.
The team will also work closely with the police, RNLI, local businesses and residents to help deal with any potential problems or incidents.
Cllr John Stirling, cabinet member for Environment, said: “The seasonal wardens have been a fantastic addition to our beaches since they were introduced in 2014.
“We are incredibly proud of our beautiful beaches and these wardens always come in and do a great job of helping make sure our coastline remains a top attraction for people to enjoy.”
Visitors are also reminded that the beach dog ban is also now in place and runs until September 30. During this time, dogs are not allowed on Longsands (south), Whitley Bay (south), Cullercoats Bay and King Edward’s Bay