Westcountry

The South West has cleaner bathing waters than some of Europe's leading holiday resorts, according to a new EU report.

The region has beaten the likes of the French Riviera, the Algarve and the Costa Del Sol for bathing water quality.

All of the 144 bathing waters across Devon and Cornwall passed the mandatory EU standards, while 132 complied with guide values.

Thirty-four beaches in the South West, including five in the South Hams, have also been awarded the prestigious Blue Flag Award.

Bantham, Bigbury-on-Sea, Blackpool Sands, Challaborough and Salcombe South Sands all scooped the international accolade.

Stephen Bird, operations director of South West Water, said: "This report demonstrates what an incredible contribution Clean Sweep has made to the South West over the last 18 years.

"It was one of Europe's biggest environmental programmes and has now produced Europe's cleanest bathing waters.

"We have already spent £1.5bn on getting rid of over 220 crude sewage outfalls and this year we are spending a further £8.7m improving the few remaining stretches of the Cornish coastline yet to benefit from Clean Sweep.

"We are also confident we are ready for this summer and will be going all out to maintain our proud record on bathing water quality."

Robin Barker, deputy chief executive, South West Tourism, added: "All the research we do confirms the fact that beaches and our coastline are one of the very top reasons people visit the South West.

"The Clean Sweep programme may have been painful on the pockets of those who live here, but the return on that investment now means that we have amongst the best beaches in Europe, which will benefit not only the people who visit the region, but also those who live and work here."