The beach popular with Brummies gets the ‘brown flag’ for being one of the dirtiest in England

A beach less than two hours away from Birmingham has been named one of the dirtiest in England. The seaside spot, which is popular with Brummies, has been given a dreaded ‘brown flag’.

UK travel website Holiday Park Guru analyzed Environment Agency data on summer water quality from hundreds of beaches and came up with a list of 13 deemed to be the dirtiest. Now he has given them all a ‘Brown Flag Award’ as part of his campaign for cleaner beaches.

Porthluney Beach in Cornwall took first place, with Blackpool North in Lancashire coming in fifth. In eighth place was Weston Main, Weston-super-Mare Sand Bay and Weston-super-Mare Uphill Slipway, which is a popular spot for Midlanders, being around 113 miles away from Birmingham.

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The Mirror reports that free brown flags, featuring a poo emoji, are being offered as part of “winning” the prize. Beaches on the list have been rated ‘poor’ by the Environment Agency due to bacteria such as e-coli from sewage and other waste.

Although Holiday Park Guru has no official link with the Environment Agency, it has used official water quality readings – taken from May 15 to September 30 – to issue its bathing area ratings. Spokesman Robbie Lane, who is a keen sea swimmer, offered his “congratulations” to the winners and said: “You really are up there with the best.”

He added: “We just hope they will take up our offer of a free brown flag, although I’m afraid we can’t afford to provide a flagpole as well. On a more positive note, high praise is due for England. 273 beaches with the best rating for water quality – including 72 beaches in Cornwall.”

Winners of the 2024 Brown Flag Awards

1. Porthluney in Cornwall
2. Southsea East in Hampshire
3. Saint Mary’s Bay in Kent
4. Littlestone in Kent
5. Blackpool North in Lancashire
6. St Annes North in Lancashire
7. Heacham in Norfolk
8. Weston Main, Weston Super Mare Sand Bay and Weston Super Mare Uphill Slipway in Somerset
9. Dunster Beach in Somerset
10. Bognor Regis, Aldwick in Sussex
11. Tynemouth Cullercoats in Tyne and Wear
12. Scarborough South Bay in North Yorkshire
13. Bridlington South Beach in the East Riding of Yorkshire