Top five for West Country beaches

The Scilly Isles topped the chart

Tourism chiefs are celebrating a clear win for West Country beaches in a new tourist guide to England.

The latest edition of the Rough Guide to England lists its top 10 beaches.

Par Beach at St Martin's in the Isles of Scilly is rated best of the top 10 and all the remaining top five are in Devon and Cornwall.

They are: Porthcurno in West Cornwall, Polzeath in north Cornwall, Woolacombe in north Devon and Blackpool Sands in south Devon.

The guide says about Par Beach that it is "hugely scenic and usually empty, despite the perfect sands".

Robin Barker, deputy chief executive of South West Tourism, said: "Beaches are so much a part of the reason why people come to the area, but it is also what surrounds them - the walks, cafes, restaurants - that also bring people to the region.

"This vindicates the investment that has been made in beaches and it can only get better in the future."