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Two Fife beaches closed to swimmers due to pollution

Getty Images A white sandy beach curves around a blue shoreline on a sunny day. A column of rocks lines the beach and extends out into the water in the foreground. There is a row of buildings above the beach, with green hills rising above them.Getty Images
Signs have been put up around Burntisland beach urging people to stay away from the water

Two Fife beaches have been closed to swimmers due to high levels of bacteria in the water.

Bathers have been urged to stay away from Kinghorn Harbour and Burntisland until further notice, just days after hundreds of people headed to the beaches during a UK-wide heatwave.

The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa) found high levels of "faecal indicator organisms" in the waters.

The Fife Coast and Countryside Trust has put up signs and warned that exposure to the harmful bacteria could cause illness.

Members of the public have been told to avoid bathing, paddling, or playing in the sea or streams running into both beaches.

Getty Images A coastal village overlooks a large beach with the tide out. There are blue skies and clouds above, with a few people walking along the sand. Getty Images
High levels of bacteria were detected at Kinghorn Harbour

The trust has also urged people to keep pets away from the water and to wash hands and footwear after visiting the area.

The guidance states that people should not take anything home from the beaches or consume shellfish collected from the area.

Sepa detected high bacterial results during tests at Kinghorn and Burntisland.

A spokesperson said:  "Our officers are currently investigating the cause of this high result and, if required, we will explore any mitigation measures.

"Further water samples will be taken from the bathing water to determine if there is any on-going impact."

They added: "Advice against bathing will remain in place until Sepa are satisfied water quality is no longer impacted."

Sepa tests Scotland's waters for "faecal indicator organisms" E. coli and intestinal enterococci.

When high levels of that bacteria are detected, further tests are carried out to determine the origin of the pollution.