A WATER firm last night dismissed a clean beaches guide, which named ten in the region as below standard.

The Marine Conservation Society guide lists beaches in Scarborough, North Yorkshire, Marske, east Cleveland, Seaham, County Durham, and East Ryhope, Wearside, among those with unacceptable water quality and sewage discharges.

But North Yorkshire Water said the report was misleading.

"The Marine Conservation Society's report talks about the North-East regions. It is important to remember this also covers the area served by Northumbrian Water and Anglian Water," said a spokesman.

"In January this year, state-of-the-art waste water treatment works at Bridlington, Filey, Whitby and Scarborough came on line. Now the waste water discharges on Yorkshire's east eoast are treated to the highest possible standard."

The results follow poor findings from the European Union in March, including beaches at Sunderland and Middlesbrough on a shame list.

Northumbrian Water said: "Since the information was collected, we have spent about a quarter-of-a-billion on two Teesside plants and about £100m on state-of-the-art sewage works, in Sunderland.

"We plan further measures for this year."