Beaches in Falmouth, the Helston area and north and west Cornwall are among 17 in the county that have been given a “pollution alert” warning by Surfers Against Sewage today.

The organisation that campaigns for water quality has published a map highlighting where it says there is a risk of pollution.

It follows heavy rain in Cornwall yesterday. In all highlighted locations, the organisation claims: “Storm sewage has been discharged from a sewer overflow in this location within the past 48 hours.”

They include Swanpool in Falmouth, where there is an emergency/storm overflow from the Queen Mary Gardens pumping station that discharges to the sea approximately 420m east of the bathing water.

Falmouth Packet:

The Surfers Against Sewage 'pollution alert' map

Also said to be affected in the town is Gyllyngvase Beach. SAS sates: “Although no sewer overflows discharge directly onto Gyllyngvase, bathing water may be affected by a nearby overflow some 400m to the southwest of the beach.

“Other discharges into the Fal River may also have an affect here, along with diffuse pollution.

In the Helston area, Polurrian Cove near Mullion is on the list, with SAS saying: “There is an emergency overflow from the Polbream pumping station, that discharges to the sea 270m from the Environment Agency monitoring point.

“There is an emergency overflow from the pumping station at Polurrian Cove public conveniences, that discharges to the Mullion Brook 160m from the Environment Agency monitoring point.”

Of Porthleven Sands, the charity adds: “There are three sewer overflows in the vicinity of Porthleven West. One discharges into the harbour, one to the east of the harbour mouth over the rocks into the sea and another at the western end of Porthleven West, also into the sea.

“Water quality can also be impacted by diffuse pollution.

Other beaches in the area that have been given an alert are Perranuthnoe, Marazion and Long Rock in the west of the county, and Godrevy and Gwithian in the north.