The town is celebrating after scooping a national accolade, the Quality Coast Award, which recognises coastal resorts that provide the very best standards for visitors.

The awards, launched last year and managed by the Keep Britain Tidy organisation, accredited Hunstanton for achieving good standards in a number of areas including water quality, provision of public rescue equipment in peak season, beach cleanliness and provision of litter bins, disabled, pram and wheelchair access and well-maintained public toilets.

It also scored well for signed car parking, enforcement of a dog banning order on the beach and information points.

On receiving the award, councillor Elizabeth Nockolds, the council's cabinet member for sports, arts and open spaces, said: "This is brilliant news. We have always maintained that Hunstanton is a top-class resort with excellent facilities.

"We are pleased these new awards recognise that a trip to the beach isn't just about swimming and we hope this award will boost tourism by giving visitors extra reassurance that Hunstanton is a top-quality seaside resort."

Angie Sandercock, of Peacock Guest House and chairman of Hunstanton Accommodation Association, added: "Hunstanton is a much-loved resort. People who know it also know what a great place it is to visit. This award will help to spread that message further afield, raising the profile of the town nationally, which is really important in helping people to decide where to visit or stay for their holiday. This can only be good news for businesses and tourist attractions in the town."

The awards were introduced to recognise resorts in England that provide a good quality beach experience for visitors and are set apart from the Blue Flag Awards, which have a strong emphasis on water quality.

Cllr Nockolds said: "We have spent months, years even, trying to find out what can be done to improve the water quality in Hunstanton. This award shifts the emphasis and enables the resort to celebrate what is great about a trip to seaside."

Resorts have to meet stiff criteria to achieve the award and provide a portfolio of evidence for assessors to scrutinise. If its application is recommended, it is then sent to an independent panel of judges for verification.

Trained surveyors will continually monitor the beach over the three-year award period to ensure standards continue to improve.