Six of Kent's beaches have lost their blue flag status - and they are all on Thanet's coastline.

Margate Main Sands, Minnis Bay, Ramsgate Main Sands, St Mildred's Bay, Stone Bay and West Bay have all missed out this time.

Botany Bay, Joss Bay and Westbrook Bay have kept the status, which is given for excellent water quality and high standards of cleanliness.

No other beach in Kent has won the prestigious blue flag.

Thanet Council blamed freak weather.

Commercial services manager Mark Seed said: "There's no denying that it's a real shame that we haven't been able to achieve more Blue Flag awards this year, especially as historically we've done so well in the past.

"Certainly anyone visiting the area this summer won't notice any difference in the superb facilities they find on Thanet's beaches. There's just as much for the whole family on some of Britain's best loved beaches, as there has been in previous years.

"Obviously it's disappointing that minor problems with water quality last year affected our Blue Flag assessment and that's the reason that we've lost a number for this season.

Audio: Thanet council commercial services manager Mark Seed on the loss of Blue Flags

"The problems all seem to be down to freak weather conditions last year and as the results show, it's the first time for many years that we've been affected in this way.

"We think it's because we're so exposed right on the north east corner of Kent.

"Other beaches around the South East wouldn't have been affected like we were. It could bring things out of the North Sea into the bays which we wouldn't normally get.

"Unfortunately the results in 2010 have been a bit of a freak and we will expect things to be back to normal and the beaches getting back up to eight, nine, ten, blue flags for 2012."