ONE of Southend's beaches has lost its coveted blue flag status.

Jubilee Beach, in the centre of the seafront, lost its award after a bad water quality reading meant Southend Council did not enter it for consideration.

However, Shoebury East Beach, West Beach and the Three Shells Beach will still be flying their flags after they were considered to be family friendly, have disabled access and meet strict cleanliness levels for sand and water.

The results were met with mixed reaction by John Lamb, the council's executive councillor for tourism, as he feels adjudicators Encams got the water reading wrong and should not have used it as the basis for the decision.

He said: "It goes back a whole year ago. In May last year, there was a report saying the water quality was very poor. We challenged that but they wouldn't accept it.

"It was such a bad reading that we knew it was wrong."

The news follows the announcement in April that seven of Southend's beaches coasted to victory to win the brand new Quality Coast Awards - meaning the town has some of the best beaches in the country.

Mr Lamb is confident that Jubilee Beach will once again be flying a blue flag next year.

He added: "We are very pleased about the other beaches and it's great to see the high standard is being achieved - and that includes the quality of water and beaches we provide.

"It just shows the success of what we are doing and that is why it is very difficult to understand why Jubilee Beach, which is right in the middle of our seafront, doesn't have a flag."