Seascale beach has been named as one of the top 10 worst beaches in the UK for pollution levels, according to new research.

A study by Cartridge Save found the top 10 ranked by highest pollution level with Seascale Beach ranked eighth. 

Fellow Cumbrian spot, Haverigg Beach, finished bottom of the list. 

This latest study analysed water quality by examining levels of E. coli bacteria and intestinal enterococci, alongside TripAdvisor visitor reviews for each location.

The beaches were then ranked based on a 'water cleanliness' score ranging from zero to 10, with 10 representing the best condition.

Seascale's ranking of 7.28 out of 10 for water cleanliness wasn't too bad, but it did rank 5th for E. coli and 11th for intestinal enterococci.

Intestinal Enterococci are found in the intestines of animals and humans, although some types are environmental in origin.

The presence of the bacteria indicates that human or animal faeces may be present in bathing water alongside other potentially harmful organisms that could cause illness.

However, TripAdvisor reviews of the beach tell another story, with the majority of comments overwhelmingly positive, resulting in a 4.5 star rating.

Several of those reviews have noted how 'beautiful' and 'clean' the beach was, but this data suggests that Seascale could certainly be a lot cleaner.