A Blue Flag will once again be flying over Gyllyngvase Beach in Falmouth this summer thanks to a mystery donor who stepped in to cover the cost of the application.

The beach was left without the internationally recognised accreditation last year after Cornwall Council refused to fund the application, but did not alert the town council to this fact until it was too late for it to make its own bid. This year, not only has the Blue Flag been restored, but the beach has also won a Seaside Award, Keep Britain Tidy’s own award for the beaches that meet the very highest standards for cleanliness and facilities.