By Jonny Irving

Last updated at 11:56, Thursday, 07 November 2013

Two popular Cumbrian beaches are among just six in the UK that have failed to meet minimum water quality standards.

Source of trouble: Dog mess on the beach has been identified as a problem during tests at Allonby

Beaches at Allonby and Seascale both failed testing by DEFRA and the Environment Agency on the standard of bathing water.

They are among just four beaches in the north west that failed to meet the standards, along with St Annes and Fleetwood in Lancashire.

It is the second time that a beach in the Allonby area has failed the tests, as last year Allonby South, which passed this time out, fell short of the standards.

At Allonby, dog mess is cited as the reason, while at Seascale a range of factors are to blame.

An Environment Agency spokesman said: In Allonby, one of the key factors has been dog mess that has contributed to the fail.

In Seascale miss-connection from sewers, agricultural pollution run-off, and stream discharge have contributed.

The rest is here:

Cumbrian beaches fail water quality tests