A TOWN’S beach has been rated among the UK’s finest – even beating revered beaches in holiday hotspots such as Cornwall and Dorset.

Research carried out by holidaycottages.co.uk assessed the best coastal spots across the nation to see which seafronts are worth visiting for the staycation boom this summer.

And taking the number five spot was Dovercourt Bay beach, climbing above the renowned Camber Sands Beach in East Sussex and Alum Chine Beach in Dorset.

The holiday home rental company looked at a number of factors for each beach, including whether it was swimming-friendly, dog-friendly and its availability of lifeguards, parking and nearby cafes.

In total, more than 400 beaches across England, Scotland and Wales were ranked.

It comes as no surprise for town councillor Jo Henderson, who said residents are blessed with such a beautiful spot in their town.

She said: “It’s so nice to hear and I feel we are so lucky to have it right on our doorstep.

“It’s just there and it’s lovely. It’s nice for families and even for people walking, everyone loves those walks along the beach enjoying the beautiful view.

“Over lockdown its been a beautiful place to walk in. It makes you realise how precious this town is.

“We have got a lot of positives here; visitors often explain how surprised they are by how lovely it is in Harwich and Dovercourt.

“While we’ve got some nice facilities we’re not inundated. It’s a more unspoilt feel here.”

It comes after Dovercourt Bay beach and Harwich beach both retained their prestigious blue flag statuses, a hallmark for coastal quality.

It means all Tendring seafronts have kept their accreditation from 2020.

Alex Porter, Tendring councillor for leisure and tourism, said the awards were a well-deserved recognition of the beauty of the area’s seafronts.

“The Essex Sunshine Coast is stunning, a brilliant asset for residents, visitors and the whole tourism industry,” he said.

“Recognising this is why we invest so much into them, with our beach patrol service in the high season, regular improvements to seafronts and promenades, or creating and protecting them with new beaches and cliff stabilisation projections.”

“The awards are a great advert for the Essex Sunshine Coast, and it must be recognised that it is not easy to keep Blue Flag and Seaside Award status.”