People staying in Norfolk on holiday are being advised to keep the county's coastal waters clear.

And people swimming in open water areas are being urged to check the quality before plunging in.

Bathing waters in Norfolk are among the cleanest in the country but it's vital to check quality when visiting beaches, rivers and lakes, states the Environment Agency.

The advice came as it launched a campaign to get people to become 'water warriors'.

Visitors should check out the Environment Agency's Swimfo website by visiting environment.data.gov.uk/bwq/profiles/ which provides information on more than 400 bathing waters in England. It will tell you when warnings are issued due to the temporary effects on water quality after a rainy day or high tides.

Advice from Public Health England is also available on open water swimming – that’s swimming anywhere that isn’t a public pool - by visiting gov.uk/government/publications/swim-healthy-leaflet

The Environment Agency checks the quality of bathing waters at 32 key locations along East Anglia’s 800km coastline. Of those, 84pc are classified as being 'excellent' or 'good' in terms of water quality.

People on holiday are also being advised not to pour fats and oils down sinks or flush wet wipes or sanitary products down the loo. Rubbish should always be bagged up and removed from the beach.

David Dangerfield, director for water, land and biodiversity for the Environment Agency, said: “Although the standard of bathing water quality in England is very high, it is always a good idea to check the water quality and whether any pollution warnings are in force.

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"Small actions in the home or at holiday accommodation can have a damaging impact on water quality. Wet wipes, kitchen towels, sanitary products, fats, oil and grease don’t belong down the drain, but are still found in huge quantities, leading to build-up, blockages and poor water quality.”