Blue Flags will be flying once again at beaches across Dorset this year.

Beaches at Sandbanks, Canford Cliffs, Shore Road and Branksome Chine have all secured Blue Flag status, which recognises them as among the best beaches in the world.

Sandbanks beach has now been awarded a Blue Flag for the past 28 years.

Alum Chine, Durley Chine, Fisherman's Walk and Southbourne beach have also been awarded flags.

Borough of Poole culture and community learning head Kevin McErlane said: "Poole's beaches really are a fantastic place for both residents and visitors to enjoy and everyone is tremendously proud that they have once again achieved Blue Flag status.

"We are very fortunate to have three-and-a-half miles of beautiful beaches on our doorstep and the council's staff work really hard to maintain and manage the beaches to attain award-winning standard which ensures the Blue Flags keep flying.

"These awards continue to put Poole on the map as a quality visitor destination and I would like to thank all of our staff and partners for their hard work and dedication to ensure that our outstanding beaches remain world class."

Council contractors pumped 139,000 cubic metres of sand onto Poole's beaches last year, in a successful bid to reverse 10-years worth of erosion which, in places, had occurred in just a couple of months. Some of the town's beaches took a huge battering in the winter storms of 2013.

Defra awarded Poole £750,000 funding to pump 40,000 cubic metres of sand, dredged from Poole Harbour's main shipping channel, back onto Shore Road beach. Then an additional £1.2 million of government funding was secured to extend the sand replenishment scheme towards Branksome beach.

In Christchurch, three beaches gained Seaside Awards including Avon Beach, Friars Cliff Beach and Highcliffe Beach.

Cllr Margaret Phipps, portfolio holder for the environment at Christchurch council, said: “Yet again our beaches have maintained the required standard for this award. People coming to use Christchurch’s beaches need to be confident that they will be bathing in a safe environment and these awards assure them that they are.”

Beaches have to maintain high standards of management, cleanliness and safety in order to win Blue Flag status. Water quality is also subject to tough tests, meeting the highest international standards.