WE have heard it all before. Beaches in Britain's most popular holiday area are a "national disgrace" with high levels of pollution.

Now, the Marine Conservation Society has slammed the coastline of the North-west of England, including Blackpool and Morecambe, as "little better than a cesspit".

It's a damning report, but it comes as no surprise. The only astonishing thing is that despite repeated warnings, not enough has yet been done to remedy the situation.

Out of 673 British beaches, only 109 met the full requirements of the MCS. If Britain, and particularly the North-west, wants to shed its unsavoury reputation for dirty bathing areas, then clean-up operations must be intensified.

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