Safety warnings issued at 2 UK beaches as people told ‘never swim’ there

An urgent safety warning has been issued for two UK beaches, with people told to “never swim” there. The Environment Agency has issued the advisory for Wildersmouth Beach in Ilfracombe and Instow Beach near Bideford. 

According to an advisory on the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) website, reported by the Swimfo tool, there is a “permanent advice against bathing” warning for both beautiful beaches. Bathers have been requested to exercise caution as pollution warnings affect several beaches, enabling them to avoid times or locations with heightened risks. 

The details are available on Swimfo, but notably, Instow and Wildersmouth carry an all-year-round warning, reports Devon Live. 

Experts believe that several factors impact the water quality including heavy rain, thunderstorms, wind, sunlight, and tides, which may be among the reason behind the number of advisories. 

The Environment Agency will become more active in the coming months as weekly analyses are being conducted to assess current water conditions. 

The daily forecasts predict pollution risks, prompting the Environment Agency to issue advisories against swimming when necessary.

In the south-west, Burnham Jetty North in Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset, is also subject to a year-round pollution alert. 

Meanwhile, two spots in Weston-super-Mare – Sand Bay and the main beach – have been deemed poor, with advisories against bathing.

Similarly, Dunster Beach in Somerset and Porthluney in St Austell, Cornwall, have received poor ratings, accompanied by “bathing not advised” notices.