According to this article a quarter of the UK's Blue Flag beaches are failing to monitor daily sewage contamination. The anti-pollution group Surfers against Sewage have revealed that a quarter of British Blue Flag beaches could be contaminated with sewage from overflows. The information comes from freedom of information requests to local authorities and beach operators. If correct this could mean that thousands of bather might unknowingly have been exposed to raw sewage whilst believing they are swimming in clean water. 131 British beaches have been awarded the Blue Flag status which is only granted if beach operators meet more than 30 strict criteria. The SAS research, however, shows that 35 of the 131 beaches do not meet criterion 28 of the Blue Flag code which require operators to inform the public during and after emergency pollution events such as sewage discharge. The beaches that have no system in place to monitor daily sewage pollution and warn people are listed below.

Cornwall: Polzeath, Gyllyngvase, Carbis bay, Challaborough

Devon: Woolacombe, Bigbury on sea

Isle of Wight: Ventnor, Shanklin, Sandown

Kent: Joss Bay, Margate main, Westgate West bay, Botany bay, Ramsgate main

Suffolk: Lowestoft south, Cromer

Lincolnshire: Cleethorpes central

Yorkshire: Filey, North Bay beach, Whitby west cliff

County Durham: Whitburn north

Wales: Prestatyn central, Llanddona, Fairbourne, Abersoch, Aberporth, Llangrannog, Newagle, Langland, Rest bay

Scotland: Fife West Sands, Elie Ruby bay, Coldingham

Northern Ireland: Coleraine Castle rock, Portrush west, Whiterock west