​FULL details of the quality of water at bathing beaches in and around Plymouth have been put online by the Environment Agency.

The reports, part of information on 500 beaches across the country, include details of how the bathing areas are protected, what pollution hazards there are and has maps and pictures.

For Plymouth Hoe West and Plymouth Hoe East the report details how the bathing waters are fed in to by the rivers Tamar, Tavy, Tiddy and Lynher - flowing across Devon and Cornwall before they reach the sea.

The report says the banks of these rivers are lined with sheep and cattle farms as well as historic mining activity which 'has significantly affected land and water quality'. It says bathing water can be affected by the quality of water from the Tamar and Plym after heavy rainfall.

It also says that sewage outfall from Plymouth is discharged 420metres out to sea, after being disinfected.

And it says the area has traditionally seen high levels of seaweed.

The report for East Looe says there are known problems with the sewerage infranstructure around Liskeard and Looe, as well as runoff from agriculture.

The Environment Agency is using DNA tests on faecal pollution to find out whether it is animal or human.

Links from the report lead to full details of Environment Agency tests, whcih show that in 2010 95 per cent of tests on Looe Beach and Plymouth Hoe bathing waters passed the mandatory standards of European directives.

Read the reports for Devon and Cornwall here