Tenby North, Amroth and Saundersfoot beaches could soon be flying European Blue Flags again after passing bathing water quality standards.

Announcing the results of this year's monitoring of the quality of bathing waters along the Welsh coastline on Wednesday, Welsh Assembly minister for the environment, Sue Essex, revealed that Pendine, Amroth, Coppet Hall, Saundersfoot, Tenby North, Castle and South, Lydstep North and Manorbier were among 45 Welsh beaches to reach the EU's stringent guideline standards.

Last year, Pendine, Amroth, Coppet Hall, Saundersfoot and Tenby North all failed to meet the guideline standards which are one of the prerequisites of Blue Flag status.

It was a double body blow for Saundersfoot and Tenby North beaches, who faced a second successive year without the Blue Flag, having failed bathing water tests during both the 1999 and 2000 testing periods.

However, the news that these beaches have now regained guideline compliance is likely to result in the restoration of their Blue Flag status when the awards are announced next year.

Mayor of Tenby, Clr. Mrs. Christine Brown, welcomed the news on Wednesday.

"It's absolutely brilliant," she said.

"There was obviously a problem last year, with Pendine, Amroth, Coppett Hall, Saundersfoot and Tenby North all failing. It looks like those problems have been successfully resolved.

"With Castle and South beaches continuing to meet the standard, the likelihood is that Tenby could now have three Blue Flag beaches, which added to the news that Amroth and Saundersfoot could also regain theirs and Lydstep's continued success, can only bode well for the tourist industry in the area."

Chairman of Pembrokeshire County Council and Saundersfoot representative Clr. Mrs. Rosemary Hayes was equally delighted with the news.

"This is excellent news for both the area and for Pembrokeshire, with nearly 20 of the county's beaches achieving guideline standard," she said.

"Applications are already in the process of being submitted for Tenby North, Saundersfoot and Amroth to be reinstated as Blue Flag beaches next year, which will be very good news."

The Environment Agency were also pleased with the results.

"The marked improvement in guideline compliance is a positive step in tackling other sources of bathing water contamination such as from diffuse pollution," said a spokesperson. "The number of breaches that passed this standard in Wales in 2001 was 45, compared to 32 in 2000 and 39 in 1999. After disappointing results last year, these figures put Wales' coastline back on an upward trend, which is hoped will continue in the future.

"The results are a boost for the Green Seas Initiative which aims to increase the number of European Blue Flags on the Wales coastline."

Members of the Green Seas Initiative include founder organisations Welsh Water and the Wales Tourist Board, alongside Environment Agency Wales, local authorities, the Countryside Council for Wales, Keep Wales Tidy and others.

"The improvement in guideline compliance is most encouraging and will hopefully result in further recognition of Wales' beaches in terms of Blue Flag awards," added the Environment Agency's Director Wales, Roger Thomas. "The real challenge is to sustain this high standard and the Agency will be increasing its efforts with Green Seas partners to try and ensure this happens."

Although several other local beaches, like Manorbier, also attained guideline standard, they must also satisfy a number of other criteria relating to environmental management, safety facilities and education to be awarded an EU Blue Flag.