THE public has been warned to avoid dozens of beaches across the country after sewage leaks.

The swimming charity Surfers Against Sewage issued the alert as sewage leaks worsen amid heavy rainfall in recent days.

The sewage has leaked from major works and pipelines, seeing waste discharged into the sea.

Alerts have been issued for several top locations including Gorleston-on-Sea in Norfolk, one of the country's best-rated beaches on Tripadvisor.

Warning of the leaks, Surfers Against Sewage said: "Gorleston-on-Sea became popular in Edwardian times and is still a busy seaside resort. A number of sewer overflows discharge into the River Yare that flows to the sea at the northern end of the beach."

Other popular destinations include Brighton, Scarborough, Blackpool and Whitstable.

Massive rise in the amount of sewage leaked into waterways since 2016

Sewage in the country's waterways has been a point of contention in recent years with a huge increase in the amount of raw sewage being discharged.

Sky News reported that there had been a 2,553% rise in raw sewage leaks over the last five years.

Between 2016 and 2021 water companies discharged raw sewage into the waterways and sea for almost 10 million hours, the equivalent of 1,076 years.

With this said, here is the full list of beaches polluted by raw sewage.

The full list of beaches to avoid in the UK as leaked sewage pollutes top spots

Here is the full list: 

  • Dhoon Bay
  • Spittal
  • Warkworth
  • Amble Links
  • Druridge Bay North
  • Druridge Bay South
  • Blyth South Beach
  • Tynemouth Cullercoats
  • Seaham Hall Beach
  • Seaham Beach
  • Seaton Carew North
  • Redcar Coatham
  • Redcar Granville
  • Redcar Stray
  • Marske Sands
  • Saltburn
  • Whitby
  • Scarborough North Bay
  • Scarborough South Bay
  • Bridlington South Beach
  • Heacham
  • Gorleston Beach
  • Southend Three Shells
  • Southend Jubilee Beach
  • Sheerness Canterbury
  • Minster Leas
  • Leysdown
  • West Beach, Whitstable
  • Tankerton
  • Herne Bay Central
  • Herne Bay
  • Sandgate
  • Hythe
  • St Marys Bay (Kent)
  • St Leonards
  • Bexhill
  • Normans Bay
  • Pevensey Bay
  • Seaford
  • Saltdean
  • Brighton Kemptown
  • Brighton Central - Brighton
  • Hove Lawn
  • Littlehampton
  • Bognor Regis East
  • Bognor Regis (Aldwick)
  • Pagham
  • Langstone Harbour
  • Eastney
  • Southsea East
  • Stokes Bay
  • Ryde
  • Seagrove
  • St Helens
  • Bembridge
  • Whitecliff Bay
  • Yaverland
  • Sandown
  • Shanklin
  • Lee-on-Solent
  • Hillhead
  • Cowes
  • Gurnard
  • Colwell Bay
  • Totland Bay
  • Pentewan
  • Dunster North West
  • Weston Main
  • Weston-super-Mare Sand Bay
  • Wharfe at Cromwheel - Ilkley Bathing Water
  • Southport
  • St Annes
  • St Annes North
  • Blackpool South
  • Blackpool Central
  • Blackpool North
  • Bispham
  • Cleveleys
  • Fleetwood
  • Morecambe North
  • Walney Biggar Bank
  • Walney Sandy Gap
  • Walney West Shore

A real-time interactive map of the beaches contaminated by sewage can be found on the Surfers Against Sewage website.