Graham Watson Welcomes South West's Water Quality

11.34.00am GMT Mon 1st Dec 2008

180 beaches across the South West passed a major quality test which shows that the bathing water is of a good quality, suitable for swimming. In fact across the whole South West only 10 beaches resorts failed to meet the required standards. Today the results were welcomed by South West Lib Dem's MEP Graham Watson who hopes this will boost tourism in the region.

Not only did almost all our beaches pass but most went beyond this. Bournemouth and Poole did outstandingly well with all 13 beaches achieving a Pass (G) - the top rating available in this assessment; signifying that the water exceeded requirements. Sidmouth was also very successful with both the town beach and Jacobs Ladder reaching this higher standard. Woolacombe's 3 beaches and Perranporth's Village End and Penhale Sands were others amongst the group of 140 beaches spread throughout the South West to achieve this mark of outstanding quality. Lyme Regis' Cobb Beach and Church Beach and Newquay's Fistral Beach were passed as well ensuring the tourist trade can continue at these famous resorts.

Graham Watson, MEP for the South West said, "Tourism is vital to our local economy so I am delighted so many beaches have passed the quality test. It may be a bit chilly at the moment but next year we want lots of people to come here and have a great holiday."

"Having a clean beach and bathing water is vital to attract visitors to the South West. It will be particularly interesting to see how tourism is affected at Bude Summerleaze Beach and Mothecombe Beach which passed this year, having failed in 2007. I suspect the local economy will find the boost in tourism particularly vital in the current economic climate."

"The slide in the pound means foreign holidays are more expensive. People can come to the South West instead, have a great value holiday and enjoy the very best beaches England has to offer. The hardest decision is choosing which of the South West's many beaches to visit."

The tests were carried out by environmental watchdog, the Environment Agency, which tested every main beach in the UK.