Bournemouth's beach 'better than most in Med' says survey

Bournemouth is a match for the Costas and the Canaries when it comes to beaches, according to a survey today.

The Dorset resort came fourth in a list of Europe's top beaches compiled from travellers' ratings by the TripAdvisor company.

Bournemouth was first in the list of 10 best UK beaches, with St Brelades in Jersey second and Woolacombe in Devon third.

Cornish beaches fared well in the British list, with St Ives in fourth place, Newquay sixth, Bude seventh and Padstow 10th.

Top European beach was Oludeniz in Turkey, with another Turkish beach, Icmeler, in second place and Puerto Alcudia in Majorca third.

TripAdvisor spokeswoman Emma Shaw said: "These awards recognise the UK's and Europe's best beach destinations, according to those that really matter: travellers themselves.

"Bournemouth has long been a popular seaside resort and recent investment in the area has clearly paid off. Not only has it been named the UK's best beach destination, up from third place last year, but it's also ranked ahead of almost every Mediterranean beach destination."

The survey's top UK beaches are:

1. Bournemouth, Dorset

2. St Brelades, Jersey

3. Woolacombe, Devon

4. St Ives, Cornwall

5. Tenby, Pembrokeshire

6. Newquay, Cornwall

7. Bude, Cornwall

8. Weymouth, Dorset

9. Swanage, Dorset

10. Padstow, Cornwall