A Leigh beach branded unsafe for swimmers has been given a clean bill of health as five Southend beaches raise Blue Flags ahead of a scorching weekend.

A new Keep Britain Tidy Blue Flag has been given to Westcliff Beach.

It will be flying the flag along with Shoebury East Beach, Shoebury Common Beach, Thorpe Bay and Three Shells Beaches.

All Southend beaches have been granted Seaside Awards, including Bell Wharf in Leigh which was banned to swimmers due to poor water quality. The flags are due to fly just in time for an expected heatwave this weekend.

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Kevin Robinson, councillor responsible for business, culture and tourism, said “Both awards are the quality marks for our beaches and mean those visiting them can be sure that they are clean and safe and meet the highest environmental standards.

“Southend welcomes over 7 million visitors per year, and with Blue Flag and Seaside Awards flying above our beaches, residents and visitors will know that they are the best in the country.

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"The flags attract visitors to our town, providing a huge boost for local businesses through the popular summer months.”

Mr Robinson added: “We want everyone to enjoy our beaches and help keep them award winning. We are all aware of the damage our waste causes to marine life and so we can all personally make a difference by disposing of rubbish responsibly when visiting the seaside or taking it home if any bins are full.”

Last year water at Bell Wharf water was been reclassified as “poor” following test results which revealed the presence of E-coli and intestinal enterocci, most commonly found in faeces.

Advisory notices warning people not to swim there have now been removed.