A STRETCH of coastline near Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant in Cumbria has been given “good beach” status despite being contaminated with radioactive material, sparking criticism yesterday from campaigners.

The Marine Conservation Society and Keep Britain Tidy gave West Cumbrian beaches the rating last week.

But campaign group Radiation Free Lakeland said neither organisation took radioactive pollution into account when awarding clean and good beach statuses.

The group said that the St Bees beach alone over 70 radioactive particles have been found up to 2011.

“Despite this, the monitoring and retrieval has been scaled back at the request of local parish councils who are in the catch-22 of not wanting to put holiday makers off,” it said.

“This of course means that the nuclear industry is given free rein to continue to pollute while holiday makers and locals alike are encouraged onto the sands by those they trust, such as Keep Britain Tidy, The Marine Conservation Society and Cumbria Wildlife Trust.

“The fact that none of these cheerleaders promoting the safety of the beaches looks at radioactive pollution as a criteria is diabolical.”

Sellafield nuclear reprocessing plant has been mired in controversy over its radioactive discharges for three decades.

It has been dumping waste into the Irish Sea since 1952, drawing protests from the Irish government.

In 2003 a report by the Department of Health revealed that traces of plutonium in children’s teeth were due to contamination from Sellafield.

The government claimed quantities were so minute they were “harmless.”