TWO of Denbighshire county's beaches have been honoured in this year's Wales Coast Awards.

Prestatyn Beach has retained its its Blue Flag status in the awards, run in Wales by Keep Wales Tidy, and Rhyl Central Beach has also kept hold of its Seaside accolade.

Abergele Pensarn and Kinmel Bay also retained their Seaside Awards.

Across the country, 44 Blue Flags are flying at 40 beaches and Wales has once again achieved more Blue Flags per mile than anywhere else in the UK.

Cllr Barry Mellor, of Rhyl East ward, said: "It is absolutely essential with all the regeneration in town that we retain our Seaside Award, especially with the work on the promenade. We have got the new hotels so it is essential we keep this award on the beach.

"We have got councillor Keith Jones who champions tackling plastic waste. We have so many beach cleans and we are finding that we are not picking up so much waste now which is great news.

"A lot of people are doing their part."

Cllr Paul Penlington, Prestatyn North ward, said: "It’s great news we’ve retained Blue Flag status.

"Residents of Prestatyn are rightly proud of our beautiful, natural environment and there are many volunteers and community groups who help keep it that way.

"As well as a wonderful place to live Prestatyn is a thriving tourist destination so this is excellent news all round."

The Blue Flag is a world-renowned eco-label owned by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE).

For more than three decades, Blue Flag has had a transformational impact on water quality, environmental awareness, protection, safety and services.

The Seaside Award marks ‘sufficient’ water quality and facilities at a site. A total of 40 beaches have achieved the Seaside Award.

Emlyn Jones, Denbighshire’s Head of Planning and Public Protection, said: “We are proud of our beaches in Denbighshire. They are amongst the best in the country and they have been recognised for their quality. We work closely with our partners to maintain the quality of our beaches and waters and it’s great news that residents have award winning beaches right on their doorstep, as well as great news for visitors coming to the Denbighshire coast for day trips and holidays.

“To receive national recognition for quality is a testament to the hard work being carried out by the Council, its partners and the local community in keeping our beaches safe and clean. Above all, we want to make sure that local residents and visitors have the best possible experience”.