Redcar and Saltburn beaches were two of more than 20 in the North-East to fly the Seaside Award flag this year for having clean sands and excellent facilities.

There were two winners in Redcar and Cleveland, seven in Tyne and Wear, eight in North Yorkshire and six in Northumberland.

The beaches are allowed to fly the award flag after passing EU minimum legal bathing water standards and demonstrating they are well managed.

They also showed they offered ample facilities such as showers, a lifeguard and a dog ban during the summer months.

Nationally, 375 beaches have been given a Seaside Award flag. Staithes, in North Yorkshire, was removed from the list because it failed the criteria. Marian Harrison, the regional director of the independent national charity Environmental Campaigns, which organises the award scheme, and is behind the Keep Britain Tidy Campaign, said: "There will be celebrations around the North-East because of the hard work of beach managers in bringing our beaches up to scratch to scoop an award.

"Our beaches may be getting better, but sadly this progress is not always happening off the beach," she said. "I would like to see time and money invested in making the North-East's seaside towns as clean and safe as the beaches.

"In the meantime, parents and grandparents can rest assured that by choosing a Seaside Award-winning beach, their children are playing on one of the best beaches in the UK."

Councillor Barbara Harpham, of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, which was presented with the awards for the beaches at Redcar and Saltburn, said: "I would like to praise the commitment and vigilance of our staff, without whom we could not have gained this national accolade."

Foreshore manager Paul Castle said that success had been earned because of 'concentrated effort and realistic measures.'

He said: "This shows we do not take for granted the sand and sea and that we do our best to ensure that thousands of people enjoy themselves on their days beside the seaside."