Essex’s beaches have been ranked as the 11th cleanest for swimming in England, according to a study by UK travel site Holiday Park Guru.

By utilising Environment Agency data, the study analysed water cleanliness across English seaside areas, placing Essex in the mid-tier with 53 per cent of its official bathing spots scoring an 'excellent' rating for summertime water quality.

With top marks going to Shoeburyness and Frinton, none of Essex’s beaches received the newly inaugurated 'Brown Flag Award' for 2024 nominations.

Keen sea-swimmer, Robbie Lane from Holiday Park Guru said: "On a more positive note, high praise is warranted for England's 273 beaches with the top rating for their water quality - including nine beaches in Essex."

Though Dorset undisputedly leads the standings, with a sweeping 89 per cent of its bathing areas rated as 'excellent', it’s clear not every beach in the UK is singing to the same tune.

Revealing the nation's 13 'dirtiest' beaches, the Brown Flag Awards, puts the spotlight on bathing areas rated as 'poor' due to presence of bacteria.