All of the region's beaches have passed stringent water quality tests, despite one of the wettest summers on record.
Nationwide, the heavy rain experienced in 2012 has led to a significant fall in the number of UK beaches achieving 'recommended' –the top standard – for their excellent water quality in the 2013 Good Beach Guide, produced by the Marine Conservation Society. This is because the rain and flooding led to an increase of bacteria and viruses in bathing water. But our region fared better with 11 out of 14 beaches in Norfolk and five out of six in Suffolk being 'recommended' in the guide.
The standard below 'recommended' is 'guideline' followed by 'mandatory' and then 'fail'.
The Norfolk beaches achieving 'recommended' were Gorleston, Great Yarmouth South and Pier, Caister Point, Hemsby, Sea Palling, Mundesley, Cromer, East Runton, Sheringham, Wells and Heacham, which rose from 'mandatory'.
Old Hunstanton dropped from 'recommended' last year to 'guideline', while Hunstanton Main Beach dropped from 'recommended' to 'mandatory'. Yarmouth North dropped from 'recommended' to 'mandatory'.
In Suffolk, Felixstowe South and North, Southwold The Pier, which rose from 'mandatory', and Lowestoft South and North of Claremont Pier, were 'recommended'. Southwold The Denes remained 'mandatory'.
Click the link at the top right of this page to view the interactive map.
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