Sandown’s beach, near Eastern Gardens, has won a Seaside Award for summer 2024, from environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy.

The beach met high standards in safety and services, such as first aid and lifeguards, local environmental information, 'sufficient' water quality, and environmental management, including litter and waste control.

The accolade follows ongoing efforts by Sandown Town Council and partner agencies to improve bathing water quality and invest in beach-specific services and activities.

These recognition schemes underline the importance of maintaining Britain's coastal spaces and encourage other local councils to strive for similar accolades.

Sandown Mayor Alex Lightfoot said: "Sandown continues to invest in lifeguards, beach bins, buoys in the bay, showers at Eastern Gardens, and this year, working with longshoremen, plan for the raking of beaches."

Keep Britain Tidy’s chief executive, Allison Ogden-Newton said: "These awards are a credit to the collective efforts of beach managers, volunteers, residents and businesses who have worked tirelessly to maintain, protect and improve some of our best-loved and most popular beaches and we’d like to take this moment to recognise and applaud them.

"Seaside Awards are presented to the best beaches in England and celebrate the quality and diversity of our coastline."

The town missed out on a Blue Flag award for the fourth year in a row, however, after a rise in E. Coli water quality issues in 2023 compared to 2022.

Although quality remains 'good', it had slipped from 'excellent' after the Environment Agency took 20 water samples in 2023.

In February, Sandown Mayor, Alex Lightfoot, confirmed the council had been advised it would not secure the Blue Flag award this year so did not submit an application.