DAWLISH Warren has once again been judged one of the top resorts in the United Kingdom and will be flying the highly prestigious European Blue Flag Award for the fourth year running.
The Blue Flag is only awarded to those beaches that pass the very strictest of criteria for environmental management, visitor facilities, cleanliness and clean bathing waters.
In an award ceremony on the beach, Cllr Mary Colclough, chairman of Teignbridge Council, received the flag from the Dawlish Warren Lifeguards who sped in from the sea displaying the 2002 flag on their boat and bearing the 2003 flag for presentation.
Receiving flowers from Kate Ralph, a lifeguard, and being given the flag by Julie Owen, a research officer, Cllr Colclough said: 'I am very pleased to accept the invitation to raise the Blue Flag here at Dawlish Warren. The Blue Flag is a prestigious award allocated across Europe and indeed worldwide for high standard of beaches. The Warren is amongst only 105 awarded in the UK and this is the fourth year in succession that we have got it.
'It is particularly pleasing to bring some good news to the Warren,' she said. 'The area has had its ups and downs over the past four years and I'm sure you all know about the devastating fire the other week. But, the show must go on and I'd like to take this opportunity to thank Tracey Higgs and her staff, along with the fire service, for their tremendous hard work and who managed to get the resort open to the public again in a shot amount of time. I hope that the Blue Flag will encourage many people to enjoy everything that the beach and the Warren have to offer.'
Cllr Alan Connett, leader of Teignbridge Council, said: 'We are delighted to retain this European award for yet another year. It's testament to the hard work and commitment demonstrated by Teignbridge resort staff all year round and the partnership with local traders.'
He said: 'The award criteria is very strict and there was a lot of competition this year. However, Dawlish Warren has been successful once again. We have been working hard alongside English Nature to maintain the fine balance between the resort's commercial requirements and environmental needs as a National Nature Reserve. This proves that what we are doing is working very well.'
The mayor, Cllr Bill Forrow, said: 'I think it is a wonderful achievement for the whole of the district and it gives us a standard which we will continue to keep and even improve on.'
Cllr Wally Protheroe, deputy mayor, added: 'This is a great asset to tourism. I think that without it Dawlish would be a much poorer place.'