Botany Bay in Broadstairs is among those recommended by the Marine Conservation Society for excellent water quality

The quality of water at Kent beaches has improved over the past year despite a sewage spill that closed 20 across Thanet last summer.

As many as 25 out of 30 county beaches - including Botany Bay - have been recommended by the Marine Conservation Society for their excellent water quality.

This is an increase of six beaches on the tally in 2012, when just 19 were recommended in the society's Good Beach Guide.

Heavy rainfall meant it was not such good news for other beaches across the UK, with 113 fewer beaches overall recommended for water quality compared to last year.

The MCS said many suffered a drop in water quality because of an increase in bacteria and viruses washed into the sea during heavy rainfall and flooding.

Rachel Wyatt, MCS coastal pollution officer, said: "When we get a lot of rainfall this does increase the amount of bacterial pollution which ends up in our coastal waters.

"Pollution can get washed out of urban areas, from agricultural land and from sewers due to the network being overstretched."

Four Kent beaches were classed as meeting "mandatory" standards - meaning minimum water quality levels were met.

They are Ramsgate Western Undercliffe, Viking Bay in Broadstairs, Joss Bay in Broadstairs and Walpole Bay in Margate.

Thanet District Council shut all the district's beaches for swimming for more than a week as raw sewage began entering the sea in June.

Red flags were placed on more than 20 beaches urging people not to enter the water after a failure at the Southern Water sewage pumping station at Foreness Point.