People in UK holiday hotspots warned against sea swimming due to bacterial pollution

It comes after two nights of thunderstorms and over 36,000 lightning strikes

Swimmers are being advised to stay clear of 24 beaches in Devon and Cornwall due to bacterial pollution following heavy rain overnight.

Affected beaches in Devon include North Sands in Salcombe and Goodrington near Paignton, and Summerleaze in Bude, Cornwall.

The Environment Agency (EA) said the heavy rain we have seen over the last two days are to blame for the pollution.

Map showing polluted beaches following heavy rain (Environment Agency)

It added that the pollution is “short term” and is not expected to last more than 72 hours.

“Sources of the bacteria can include water draining from agricultural and urban land during periods of heavy rain, as we have seen over the last couple of days,” the EA told the BBC.

It added that several factors including wind, sunlight, rain and ride can affect the quality of bathing waters.

It comes after more than 36,000 lightning strikes were recorded across the UK in just 12 hours on Sunday night, with the stormy weather continuing overnight on Monday.

More than 36,000 lightning strikes were recorded across the UK in just 12 hours on Sunday night (PA Archive)

Met Office forecaster Oli Claydon said the unsettled weather could continue into Tuesday and the rest of the week but should settle by the weekend.

However, a warning to avoid polluted beaches is not the first we have seen this summer as a surge in sewage discharges along Britain’s beaches occured in late August following heavy thunderstorms.

A clean water campaign group, Surfers Against Sewage, warned swimmers to avoid bathing off 50 of Britain’s most popular seaside towns, particularly along the south coast, for example, Bognor Regis, Yarmouth, Southend-on-Sea, Exmouth, Budleigh Salterton and Newquay.

Swimmers are being advised to stay clear of 24 beaches in Devon and Cornwall due to bacterial pollution following heavy rain overnight (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The group has produced an interactive map to support its findings and enable locals and tourists to check whether their favourite bays and beauty spots have been affected.

The map shows pollution risk warnings in place in dozens of locations around the country, from Cornwall and Devon to Sussex, Essex, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, Northumberland and Cumbria.

You can find it here.