A WATER company and a pressure group have joined forces to improve the cleanliness of the sea.

Yorkshire Water will share information with marine conservation organisation Sons of Neptune to enable the group to carry out wide-ranging studies into the quality of bathing waters.

The Sons of Neptune have been critics of the company for many years, but now Yorkshire Water is paying for the group to employ the services of expert Dr Bruce Deness.

He will produce a report that will be adopted by Yorkshire Water.

Dr Deness will also have access to a report compiled by Hull University, plus Environment Agency analysis and findings.

Sons of Neptune founder Freddie Drabble said: "This is a truly unique partnership which allows the Sons of Neptune total freedom to go their own way to engage their own experts and expertise so that no punches are pulled or seen to be pulled.

"Should the research reveal any areas that need further improvement, then Yorkshire Water will look at its processes and how these can be enhanced, resulting in even better bathing water standards."

Yorkshire Water's waste water business director Graham Dixon said: "We already work closely with the Environment Agency and local authorities on the east coast, and now we are looking forward to forging an even closer working relationship with the Sons of Neptune.

"What we all want is to ensure quality keeps on improving along the whole of Yorkshire's coastline."