Good news indeed. Thanks for posting, Salmon. I don't get the Echo so miss quite a lot.

wont be the same not having squelchy things come between your toes or your kids bringing "funny balloons" to you in their buckets.
Doesn't cover litter and other stuff left on the beaches--but a good start

Nor do I Granny,reading on line saves money and no printing ink all over you which was what the Echo was always famous for, that and terrible misprints.

Well, to me the water looks far too murky to go anywhere near.

Doesnt appeal to me either Excoriator - yuk. -yet they say the beautiful blue Med is much more polluted. A definite case of you cant judge a book by its cover.

The Med is highly polluted. Due to various reasons and the fish and wildlife are suffering badly. That in itself is questionable, as our guidelines come from the EU so why not the same for the Med. or part of it ? It certainly comes under EU for fishing stocks, and is overfished, but part of the problem is the bait they use for young tuna which can introduce diseases.

Maybe our cleaner waters and coast will bring more fish into our UK waters . Who knows ? I'm tired the impact our own (human) stupidity has and still is having on our beautiful nature. We are all guilty, but mainly due to how we have been directed and encouraged over the years . e.g. plastic bags and packaging. What did we use before all the stores equipped us with them ? The fish are eating them ! All those who spend summer days on beaches and leave their rubbish behind...even one plastic bag is not good.

I think that the only way forward is from a very early age, children should have in their curriculum, teachings about such, including respect for all nature, animal and plant life. How the balance of life is so important (and if left alone, so perfect), and how each one of us has a responsibility towards it.

We get the good reports but why should the same process have to be covered over and over , because many of these high graded beaches have been there before, and lapsed again ?

I'm not (yet!) too old to remember when almost everything you bought, was wrapped in used newspaper! (and not just your fish & chips!) It was always entertaining watching the greengrocer wrap 5 lbs of spuds in newspaper, it was quite an art! They would place a couple of sheets of newspaper in the crook of the elbow, and tip the spuds into it out of the container from atop the scales (what DO you call that thing?!?) and then wrap them up in the paper, pretty clever actually!
Maybe we should go back to wrapping things in newspaper!

Yes I remember that as well and of course the newspaper was then burnt on the fire. And chips seemed to taste so much better out of newspaper which once again was used for the fire.

Its just a higher sand concentration suspended in the water due to the large tidal range and the powerful Mersey close by. I've been swimming at Leasowe for years, its a lovely spot.

Usually called a pan or scalepan, those particular scales were called greengrocer's scales or grengrocer potato scales.

Which reminds me that I saw a load of potatoes washed up with the tide once, I thought they were some exotic marine eggs.

since I've been going to he beach with the dog,I've seen a dead sheep floating in the mersey,a dead donkey in the rocks,a cat & various rats.I'm only ever going in up to my knees.I did find 2 bottles of unopened baileys,Vanman was with me that day.

Ah, remember the Mersey Goldfish very well. Mind you, used to live in Cyprus and clear water can sometimes cause consternation at some of the things you are swimming amongst, and I don't meam predators either. The colour here is just eh estuary mud swilling about, most probably.