BEACHES are looking golden in Lyme Regis and Charmouth after they rated high in a list of the best in the UK.

They have been named in the Top 50 Best Beaches by The Sunday Times.

It’s yet another cause for celebration for Lyme Regis, which was voted the best place for hunting fossils back in May.

The resort also received an unexpected tourism boost after being voted as having the second-best beach activity in the world back in March.

In a survey conducted by renowned travel website virtualtourist.com fossil hunting on the beaches of Lyme Regis beat competition from Australia and Cuba to be named second, with snorkelling off the Philippines finishing first.

The Charmouth Heritage Centre has welcomed the awards, which they hope will help the village have a bumper tourism season.

Centre geologist Phil Davidson said: “This is brilliant news for Charmouth, we are ecstatic.

“Hopefully this news will bring more and more visitors to the beach here during the busy summer period and will give the area a boost.

“I am not surprised at this though, because both Charmouth and Lyme Regis are world famous for fossils.

“Charmouth is also very safe for swimming because the sea goes out for quite some time meaning the waters are shallow.”

Chris Boothroyd, who regularly volunteers at the seafront welcome centre in Lyme Regis, said that that the accolade from The Sunday Times is well-earned and will be a real boost to summer tourism.

He added: “Visitors to Lyme Regis love the beaches and they’re quick to remark how clean the beach is – a tribute to the unseen early morning work of the town council’s outdoor team.”

West Dorset District Council leader Cllr Robert Gould said that West Dorset is known for its dramatic coastlines, sweeping landscapes and now its beaches.

He added: “National supplements such as these really put the area on the map and encourage visitors old and new to come to our district for a great time.”

For more information about Dorset’s beaches and other visitor information go to visit-dorset.com