Blackpool and Lancashire beach-goers told 'don't swim' warning still in place by United Utilities

A 'don't swim or bathe' warning is still in place across eight popular beaches across Lancashire.

It comes after a storm last Monday (June 12) resulted in a raw sewage leak. United Utilities (UU), who have been carrying out repair work, confirmed that the warning is still in place ahead of the weekend when many may be planning to spend the day at the beach.

The popular locations covered by the warning include three major Blackpool beaches as well as the coastline at Lytham St Annes. Council bosses previously stated that a 'pollution incident' occurred as a result of the storm, leading to untreated sewage, mixed with rainwater, releasing into the sea after an underground pipe burst.

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Mark Garth, Wastewater Director at United Utilities, previously said: "This is a very unusual incident and our teams are working around the clock to minimise any impact on the environment. The burst occurred on a large pipe which is deep underground, making the repair complex and challenging.

"We are installing temporary overland pipework to bypass the burst pipe so that the treatment plant can continue to operate while the repair work is carried out. The reduced capacity at the treatment works and in our network as a result of this burst meant there was less storage available than normal to deal with the heavy rainfall last night.

"This resulted in storm overflows operating. We are working closely with the Environment Agency and local councils as we respond to this. Information on all 424 designated bathing water sites and any forecasted drops in water quality are published on the Swimfo: Find a Bathing Water website. This provides immediate access to information on