A £4.5 MILLION scheme to help improve bathing water quality on Cumbria's Solway Coast is running.

The United Utilities scheme has doubled the capacity of Allonby's wastewater treatment works, just off the beach, and created a new underground storage tank at the works, to capture more storm water during heavy rain, and reduce sewer spills.

New bug-zapping ultraviolet equipment at the site has also improved the quality of the treated wastewater which is returned to the sea.

Allonby's coastal waters were rated as poor in 2015, under European standards.

Steve Dooley, of United Utilities, said: "By improving the quality of the treated wastewater that we return to the sea, and reducing the number of sewer spills, we can play our part in cleaner bathing waters off the Solway coast."