Swimming banned at premier beach over e-coli fears

Swimming has been banned on one of Cork’s premier beaches as a result of excessive E.coli bacteria levels in the water.

Notices were put up at the Front Strand in Youghal after officials working for the council’s environment directorate noticed elevated levels of the bacteria in routine sampling.

It is believed that localised heavy rain may have caused slurry to wash into the River Blackwater and then out to sea.