BUSINESSES around Morecambe Bay are being asked to play a part in keeping the seas clean - ahead of tough new European Union standards coming in next year.

Despite local beaches having the cleanest water for decades, stricter EU standards coming into force mean they would fail water quality tests, campaigners have warned.

This would mean signs being put up to advise people not to bathe - with implications for tourism and businesses.

The Turning Tides partnership is a partnership of organisations working together in North West England to improve bathing water quality.

Its members include Keep Britain Tidy, councils around the Bay like Blackpool and Barrow Borough Council, United Utilities and the Environment Agency.

As part of the partnership's 'LOVEmyBEACH' campaign, they are today launching a business pack with a checklist of actions that minimise the pollution that ends up in the sea.

Businesses simply download a pack from the website www.lovemybeach.org/business-pack, complete at least five actions and submit the checklist.

Each organisation taking part will be sent a 'LOVEmyBEACH' window sticker and certificate.

Neil Jack, chair of Turning Tides, said: “Investment and hard work since 1988 have improved the number of our north west bathing waters passing the current EU directive - from 18 per cent to 88 per cent in 2013.

"But further improvements need businesses to do their bit. Many of the actions are straightforward – check your drains are connected right, get a fat trap in your kitchens, put a bin next to toilets.

"Your business doesn’t need to be located by the sea to make a difference. Please get involved and do what you can to support our campaign. Our seaside locations are iconic and many businesses and jobs rely on them for their success.”

No matter what size your business is, or where you are in Lancashire or Cumbria, you can become a 'LOVEmyBEACH' business.

Anyone with questions should go along to its drop in session on Wednesday February 5 at Madame Tussauds in Blackpool between 10am-3pm.

The partnership will be tweeting questions and answers on the day so send a question to @LOVEmyBEACH_NW using #LMBBusiness and follow the chat online.

For more information, go to visit www.lovemybeach.org