Celebrations as two beaches in same town awarded Blue Flag status for the first time
The awards, presented by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, recognise the best beaches in England.
This marks a significant achievement for the town in its efforts to improve and maintain the quality of its coastline.
Julia Hilton, deputy leader and councillor responsible for tourism at Hastings Borough Council, said: "We are delighted that Pelham has joined Marina beach in receiving both the Blue Flag and Seaside Award for the first time.
"Hastings Borough Council is proud of the quality of the beaches we have in our town.
"We work hard alongside fantastic volunteers to keep our beaches clean and maintain the water quality, so it is great to see this work being recognised."
The Blue Flag and Seaside Award status is not easily achieved, with strict criteria to be met.
This includes excellent bathing water quality, with regular sampling and testing for microbiological and physical-chemical parameters.
Councillor Hilton acknowledged the challenges faced with Southern Water, but praised the maintenance of the award status as a "great achievement."
She added: "One of the key Blue Flag requirements is excellent bathing water quality.
"This includes having sampling points in the areas on our bathing beaches most used, as well as near potential pollution sources on these beaches, such as streams, rivers, or stormwater outlets, to ensure these do not affect water quality.
"Samples must be taken regularly at these bathing beaches and tested for both microbiological and physical-chemical parameters."
Councillor Hilton also encouraged residents and visitors to help keep the seafront tidy by disposing of rubbish responsibly and reporting full bins on My Hastings.
She said: "You can all do your bit to help keep our seafront tidy by putting your rubbish into bins or taking it home with you.
"If the bins are full, please report these on My Hastings so our waste teams can empty them."
She also reminded beachgoers to check the RNLI website for safety advice and to follow the guidance of on-duty lifeguards.
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