TEN beaches in East Lothian were given a clean bill of health as Scotland’s bathing water season got under way.

Environmental organisation SEPA released a list of bathing water sites which had passed strict European quality standards last Thursday, rating three county beaches excellent and a further seven good.

Only two were classed as having poor water quality: Fisherrow Sands in Musselburgh and Yellowcraig, which failed to meet the water quality standard for a third year running.

Meeting the excellent standard was the water at Gullane Bents, Seacliff beach, and Thorntonloch.

Good ratings were given to Dunbar, both at Belhaven and East Beach; Longniddry; North Berwick at Milsey Bay and West Beach; Seton Sands, and Whitesands.

SEPA said water quality across Scotland has improved overall.

It said signs promoting the water quality at the beaches would be displayed by SEPA and East Lothian Council across the county until mid-September. And it confirmed that it was working with the local authority on an improvement plan for Yellowcraig, which has failed to pass the water quality tests since the introduction of stricter standards introduced under the EU Bathing Water Directive.