BOTH Saltburn and Redcar beaches have won Seaside Award Flags as being among of the best beaches on the North East coast.
And major TV star Danny Miller of ITV’s Emmerdale and his young family were on hand to wholeheartedly agree that the area’s beautiful resorts are well worth visiting.
Environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy yesterday (Thursday 15 May) announced the winners of the prestigious Seaside Awards for summer 2025.
The beaches had to meet a high standard of cleanliness and were two of only 66 in the country to be awarded the Seaside Award which also celebrates safety and supporting the environment.
Danny Miller, who won I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! in 2021 and plays Aaron Dingle in ITV’s Emmerdale, was in Saltburn with wife, Steph and children Albert, three and Edith, one. Danny, who was in Saltburn by chance on the day of the announcement, said: “We love it here. We come all the time. People are so friendly and it’s a lovely place to come.” Steph agreed. She said: “We all love it and usually the weather is sunny!”
Cllr Carrie Richardson, Cabinet Member for Climate and Culture, said: “This is an acknowledgement that our beaches and seas are clean – but also the work that goes into safety, first aid, supporting eco systems and providing information to the public. I’d like to congratulate everyone involved – including our dedicated officers at the council but also litter pickers, responsible businesses and everyone who does anything to care for our beaches no matter how small. Finally, I’d say to anyone and everyone that our beaches are amazing and it’s summer…come down and enjoy!”
Keep Britain Tidy’s Chief Executive, Allison Ogden-Newton OBE said: “In England we are lucky enough to have some of the best beaches in the world. It’s wonderful to see the flags flying proudly over two beaches in Redcar and Cleveland, demonstrating their quality to residents and visitors alike. The awards are a credit to the collective efforts of beach and site managers, volunteers, residents and businesses who should take pride today in their tireless efforts to maintain, protect and improve some of our best-loved and most popular blue spaces.”
The Blue Flag and Seaside Awards are aimed at improving the quality of England’s coastline and promoting the country’s best beaches.
Seaside Awards are presented to the best beaches in England and celebrate the quality and diversity of our coastline.
Among the criteria beaches are assessed against are:
- Safety and services, such as first aid, lifeguards where necessary
- Environmental information including displaying details about local eco systems
- Environmental management, including litter and waste.
- Water quality – Blue Flag beaches must meet the ‘excellent’ water quality standard as set out in the EU bathing water directive and Seaside Award winners must meet the 'sufficient’ standard.
It's not the first time stars from ITV's Emmerdale have been photographed enjoying a break in Saltburn. In November, Zoe Henry (who plays Rhona Goskirk), Katherine Dow Blyton (who played Harriet Finchley), Olivia Bromley (who plays Dawn Taylor), and Emma Atkins (who plays Charity Dingle ) were photographed on Saltburn Tramway.