Dawlish News

Our beaches are beautiful - that was the fantastic news today for five of Devon's top tourist resorts. For the second year running, Dawlish, Exmouth and Teignmouth have all passed strict European Union directives on bathing water quality, and Sidmouth and Budleigh Salterton also swept through with flying colours. Businesses and councillors have welcomed the news as recognition of the hard work being done to keep the beaches clean. Tourism chiefs are now hoping that the news will mean a bumper new year ahead for visitors flocking to the county's clean coastline. South West Water said it proved the success of the soon-to-be completed £1bn Clean Sweep programme, the biggest environmental improvement project of its kind in Europe. Dawlish mayor and town councillor Graham Price said: "I am immensely happy. We've got a good number of tourists who return year after year. This will encourage more." Dawlish businesswoman Christine Taylor, who owns the Flower Shop in the Strand, said the news was a boost to trade. She said: "It brings more people onto our pavements and this should ensure they stay in the town."