THE River Fowey in Lostwithiel has officially been named among 13 new designated bathing water sites across England, in a move being welcomed by swimmers, families and environmental campaigners.

The scenic tidal stretch flowing through the heart of the historic Cornish town has now received protected bathing water status as the 2026 bathing season begins, making Lostwithiel the only location in Cornwall shortlisted during the latest consultation process.

The designation means the river will be regularly monitored and tested by the Environment Agency throughout the summer, giving swimmers clearer information about water quality while strengthening environmental protections for the area.

The River Fowey application was backed by campaigners from Lostwithiel River Swimmers and Lostwithiel Environment Action Forum (LEAF), who spent months gathering support and evidence for the bid.

Among those celebrating the announcement is Cornwall councillor for Lostwithiel and Lanreath and keen open water swimmer Sarah Preece.

She said: “This is a really important moment for us in Lostwithiel. For the most part, the water is very clean here and we want to keep that way.”

Cllr Preece said bathing water status would mean “we have a protection in law... we can signal if there is any polluted water”.

“Anyone who knows this area in summer knows this river is full of children and families,” she said. “It’s a beautiful, pristine place to swim.”

Reacting to the announcement, she added: “Lostwithiel Environment Action Forum worked hard to put together a strong application. The river is a vital part of what LEAF want to protect for today and all future generations.

“We couldn’t have got this far without the support of local residents and businesses, so it’s very much been a collaborative effort which we are so thankful for.”

She said campaigners were passionate about ensuring local people and visitors alike could continue enjoying the river safely.

“We care passionately that local people and visitors have access to clean water for swimming and water sports and are delighted the hard work of dedicated residents have paid off to make Lostwithiel the only location in Cornwall shortlisted for designated bathing status consultation.”

The government confirmed the new bathing sites on May 15, bringing the national total to more than 460 designated locations across England.

Anna Gelderd, MP for South East Cornwall, added: “I’m delighted the River Fowey at Lostwithiel has been designated as an official bathing water site. This is a major step forward for our area. It means local people can enjoy swimming here with far greater confidence in the water quality. As a keen wild swimmer myself, since I was elected I've been 100 per cent supportive of this campaign.

“This achievement is the result of real community effort. I want to thank everyone who took the time to respond to the consultation, as well as Cllr Sarah Preece and community groups like Lostwithiel Environment Action Forum, who have worked tirelessly to push this forward.”

The Environment Agency will now carry out regular water sampling at designated sites throughout the bathing season between May and September, publishing the results online.