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This summer we’re discussing litter on our beaches and encouraging everyone to play their part in keeping them clean and safe so that memories can be made at the beach rather than casualties.

In the North West we enjoy huge expanses of sandy beaches due the large tidal range stretching out almost a mile away from the shoreline however this means that bins are often some distance away too. Please always carry your litter back to shoreline and bin it. If not, the tide will quickly absorb this harmful waste into the natural environment.

There it can cause serious damage to wildlife; the RSPCA receive 5000 calls a year relating to animals injured by litter, with many more going unreported. Left over food can also make dogs quite ill.

Additionally, litter poses risks to people too; broken glass can easily be stood on by children playing on the sand, discarded BBQ’s can cause burns and dog waste in the water can make people ill due to the high levels of bacteria.

Litter isn’t just unpleasant to look at. Dirty beaches have an effect on tourism, the coastal economy and jobs. Litter can cause injury to people and wildlife.

We all want to enjoy beaches as nature intended them to be; clean and beautiful.

This summer, join LOVEmyBEACH and pledge to take leave your footprints, not your litter.

Between May and September some coastal areas across the UK have dog restrictions at bathing water beaches; this is to provide areas of the beach to people who may not be comfortable with dogs but want to enjoy the beach environment. Additionally the restriction reduces the risk of bacteria from dog poo entering the strips of water where people are most likely to swim and paddle.

LOVEmyBEACH has compiled a leaflet which details the restrictions in the North West so that dog owners can enjoy their walk along the beach without concern that they are in a dog free zone.

Restrictions are as follows:

Morecambe Bay – dogs are banned from Morecambe’s North and South beaches. South beach is defined as; Battery Breakwater to Stone Jetty Breakwater and North Beach is defined as Bubbles Breakwater to Green Street Breakwater.

Fleetwood – dogs are banned from the slipway opposite the end of the end of Promenade Road eastwards to the site of the former Fleetwood pier.

Cleveleys – dogs are banned from the borough boundary with Blackpool up to the junction with Victoria Road.

Blackpool – dogs are banned from the southern side of North Pier to the Solaris Centre/Mirror Ball, including all slopes and staircases leading to the beach.

St Annes – dogs are banned from the Lifeboat Station going North past the pier to the end of the North Promenade car park and to the tide line.

Southport – dogs are banned from the Pier south towards Pleasureland (for 555m) and to the tide line.

Ainsdale – dogs are banned 200m either side of the main beach entrance and to the tide line.

Wallasey – dog owners are requested to voluntarily keep their dogs off the beach between 10am – 5pm.

Please enjoy your walk and remember where ever you are always bag it and bin it.

DOWNLOAD LEAFLET:
Dog Restrictions at Bathing Water Beaches (7 downloads)

Keep Britain Tidy have announced the winners of 68 Blue Flags and 117 Seaside Awards and the results mean that more than a third of bathing beaches in England will be flying a flag that marks them out as the best in the country.

This year the North West has doubled the number of prestigious, international Blue Flags that will be flying during the bathing season; Wallasey Beach in Wirral has received the Blue Flag for the first time ever this year and Blackpool South, which was awarded its first Blue Flag last year, has once again achieved both the Blue Flag and the Seaside Award.

A further 11 Seaside Awards also presented in the region to Morecambe North & South, St Annes Pier, Ferry Beach, Marine Beach, Jubilee Beach, Rossall Beach, Bispham, Blackpool North, South & Central. 

The awards are the quality marks for our beaches and mean those visiting them can be sure that they are clean, safe and meet the highest environmental standards, as well as the tough international bathing water quality standards.

A new survey carried out for Keep Britain Tidy shows that nine out of ten people said cleanliness, safety and assured water quality were key factors in deciding which beach to visit and 93% believe that it is important to preserve and protect our beaches.

This year, the international Blue Flag Award Scheme marks its 30th anniversary. In 1987 12 English beaches achieved their Blue Flag, in the 30 years since, this has soared to 68 beaches. Five beaches – Poole Shore Road/Sandbanks, Porthmeor, Oddicombe, Swanage and Weymouth – that flew one of the very first Blue Flags 30 years ago will be raising their flag again today.

Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive Allison Ogden-Newton said: “It is great news for holiday-makers, overseas visitors and businesses that rely on coastal tourism that we have been able to award so many flags this year. The success of our beaches in reaching the very high standards demanded by both awards are a real testament to all those who have worked so hard to protect and improve our beaches – from beach managers to local people and businesses. When you enjoy a day on the beach flying a Blue Flag or Seaside Award, you know you are on one of the safest, cleanest and very best in the country.”