Each year, the Environment Agency tests 455 stretches of beach and rates the quality between poor and excellent. The samples taken reveal how much the water has been polluted with faecal matter from things like sewage, livestock, wildlife, birds and road drainage. In 2025 an additional six beaches were given "Brown Flag" status.
Two counties top the list when it comes to the highest proportion of beaches with poor quality water. Tourists, swimmers and paddleboarders should be aware of this list when booking your next holiday.
There are three beaches each in Kent and Somerset on the list. Elsewehere in England, there are also two in Lancashire and two in Tyne and Wear.
High levels of bacteria could result in the beaches being unsafe for swimming. They might not always be permanently polluted, but Brown Flag status signifies that water quality regularly dips below the safe threshold set by UK and EU regulations.
