BLACKPOOL’s bathing beaches could face ‘closure’ next year due to sewage contamination.

A national newspaper reported yesterday that the Environment Agency has drawn up a blacklist of 45 English beaches which are under threat, as they are failing new EU regulations limiting the number of faecal bacteria allowed in bathing waters.

The beaches could be stripped of their designation as bathing waters from 2015 and visitors would be warned by prominent signs that the water was unsafe to bathe in.

In contrast, last year all four of the resort’s beaches passed the agency’s test.