Statistics gathered by Defra and the Welsh government over the summer show just 10 out of 502 beaches and inland bathing sites in England and Wales failed basic water quality standards. 89 per cent of the bathing waters also met new, stricter European standards; the number of beaches meeting standards has risen from 86 per cent in 2010.image expired

Environment Agency spokesperson Christine Tuckett said, "Almost all of our beaches meet the minimum standards now, compared to just three-quarters in 1991, but new stricter standards will come into force in 2015, and we are working with water companies, farmers, local authorities and beach managers to tackle persistent sources of pollution and make sure that as many beaches as possible pass these standards."

Although new tighter levels will apply from 2015, according to Defra figures 89 per cent of beaches passed the new standards in this year’s assessment.

Nevertheless, campaign groups have criticised the accuracy and rigour of the studies. They say that 90 per cent of waters passing minimal safety standards is nothing to crow about. Groups including Surfers Against Sewage and the Marine Conservation Society said that even on beaches which passed the basic standards in the Defra studies, bathers still had a one in seven chance of contracting gastro-enteritis.

Andy Cummins, of Surfers Against Sewage, said, "Many beaches may be meeting woefully inadequate water quality standards set down 35 years ago, but this still leaves bathers exposed to significant numbers of sewage spills, with possible serious health implications."

In some areas, the Environment Agency has been using DNA tests to track sources of pollution. Most of Britain’s beaches that failed the assessment were in Lancashire, where six of the 10 worst bathing spots were recorded. In Scotland, 95 per cent of beaches passed; in Northern Ireland, all 24 bathing beaches passed.

In Wales, only Llandudno Beach failed the tests; a spokesperson for Welsh Water blamed storm runoff for the failure, "Heavy rain can cause huge numbers of bacteria to be washed off agricultural land into local water courses. It can also trigger the operation of our combined sewer overflows, which act as release valves when the sewerage system becomes overloaded."