Seaton and Beer are among four of East Devon's beaches have been awarded prestigious Blue Flag status, setting them out as some of the best beaches in the country.

The beaches in Seaton, Beer, Exmouth and Sidmouth have all been awarded the Blue Flag accolade, an accolade welcomed by the East Devon District Council's new administration, and are among 78 locations given the award recognising outstanding beaches in England.

Exmouth has now achieved Blue Flag status for five years in a row while this is the fourth year for Sidmouth.

Last year was the first time Seaton was awarded the Blue Flag and it has repeated it again this year.

In addition, Seaside Awards were also given to Seaton, Budleigh and Beer by the national charity - Keep Britain Tidy.

Cllr Geoff Jung, Coast, Country and Environment portfolio holder at East Devon District Council, said: "I'm delighted that our residents and visitors can continue to enjoy the super beaches East Devon has to offer and can be confident they are clean, safe and well managed.

"Many of our beaches have received these accolades year after year and that is testament to the hard work of our council officers, as well as the many volunteers, lifeguards and local businesses who work together to ensure these beaches have some of the highest standards in the country.

"Now we just need the sun to stay out so we can all enjoy our fantastic beaches in their prime!"

The Blue Flag is a quality award which looks at four key areas - safety and services, environmental management, water quality and information and environmental education.

Achieving four Blue Flags and three Seaside Awards shows the remarkable efforts of East Devon District Council's Street Scene team are paying off to support our local economy.

Beach safety officer Pete Blyth said: "This is a fantastic recognition of the efforts of both our staff and partners in the local community. There are too many local groups and organisations involved in this success to call them all out by name, but I'd like to thank everyone who has given their time and commitment to help keep our beaches safe and enjoyable for us all."

Keep Britain Tidy's chief executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, commented: "The Blue Flag is the world's most recognised award for beaches and marinas and, to qualify, each applicant must meet and maintain a series of stringent environmental, educational, safety and accessibility criteria.

"We'd therefore like to recognise and applaud all those who have worked so hard to protect and improve some of our best-loved and most popular beaches."

Further information can be found at Blue Flag and Seaside Award | Keep Britain Tidy