Bathing water off Cowes improved to 'excellent' and off Gurnard it was 'good', according to data until September.

The results come from a summer sampling regime, carried out by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

The government department monitors, through the Environment Agency, E-coli and other potential dangers in the water, but only between May 15 and September 30.

There have been calls for it to be extended to all year round and for more beaches to be covered, including East Cowes.

Isle of Wight County Press: Gurnard seafront (Google).Gurnard seafront (Google).

On the Isle of Wight, 14 beaches are monitored and Gurnard is worst performing, although it has improved.

Due to 2020's Covid-19 restrictions, there was no testing.

The 2021 classification results cover 2017 to 2021, rating water from 'poor' to 'sufficient' and from 'good' to 'excellent.'

Barry Woodham, Southern Water’s Bathing Water Manager said: "Thirty years ago only 41 per cent of beaches in the region met the ‘Sufficient’ standard."

Isle of Wight County Press: The Isle of Wight beaches featured in the report and how they are rated.The Isle of Wight beaches featured in the report and how they are rated.

Mr Woodham said: "Southern Water has an important role as one of the custodians of the environment.

"There are a diverse range of pollutions which can impact water quality – contaminated rainwater running off roads and agricultural land, wastewater from privately owned treatment works, boats and animals on the beach such as dogs and seabirds all play a part."

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The results have been revealed days after a damning report into the state of England's rivers and criticism of the practise of pumping sewage into waterways to prevent the sewers overflowing.

On our coast, Cowes and Gurnard were identified as the most polluted by campaigners, using information published by Southern Water.

The utility firm insists it pumps 95 per cent water and nothing is untreated and has unveiled targets to clean up its act.

Published last week, the Water Quality in Rivers report found a ‘chemical cocktail’ of sewage, agricultural waste, and plastic is polluting some rivers in the country, while 'not a single river in England' is pollution-free.

It used studies from the Solent to inform its findings.

Isle of Wight County Press:

A spill in Alverstone, in 2021.

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With chemical run off from agricultural fields also a problem, a spokesperson from the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Wildlife Trust called for an end to 'environmental vandalism' and for the government to do more.

It told the County Press: “Our rivers are the lifeblood of the natural environment, but we are currently treating them like a dumping ground.

"The impacts of water pollution can be clearly seen in our area, with blanket weed choking our chalk streams and algal mats smothering our harbours.

"Rivers on the Isle of Wight, and the Eastern Yar in particular, have suffered, too, from a legacy of damage over several decades from intensive agricultural practices and harmful nutrient runoffs.

"Our waterways cannot cope any longer with what really amounts to chemical fly-tipping on an industrial scale."

Meanwhile, a huge pipe that was used to bypass a major sewer, after a sinkhole appeared at Appely in Ryde in January 2021, is slowly being removed.

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Future-proofing work continues on Appley Seafront, but the original fix has been completed.

One year on, here is the scene in Ryde, where the new work is expected to continue until the spring.