A NEW report has given Irvine beach pass marks for cleanliness.

The European Union has given Irvine a “sufficient” rating against a new, stricter classification system.

Out of the 84 official bathing waters across Scotland, 80 per cent were given “excellent”, “good” or “sufficient” ratings according to the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).

Those rated among the best in Scotland include Largs (Pencil Beach) and Culzean but Prestwick, Heads of Ayr and Girvan were all given a poor EU rating.

Like Irvine, Saltcoats/Ardrossan beach was rated “sufficient” for 2015/16.

Irvine repeatedly failed cleanliness tests in 2007, 2009 and 2010 and was shamed amongst three other beaches to fail the sewage safety test in 2011.

SEPA attributed that failure to heavy rainfall causing bacteria to be washed off into the River Irvine and then into Irvine Bay.

Calum McPhail, environmental quality manager for SEPA, said: “We understand that some local communities will be disappointed, as we are, that 17 bathing waters have been rated as having a ‘poor’ EU classification, and many will be concerned when the new classifications are displayed on these beaches for the first time this month.

“It is important to remember that a ‘poor’ classification does not necessarily mean that water quality is continually poor, and in many cases this is due to historic episodes of reduced water quality following heavy rainfall."