In the survey released this week MCS said the water quality was highly recommended.

The bay is a wave-cut platform containing a four mile shingle beach backed by chalk cliffs.

Eastbourne Beach slipped down the rankings only securing a basic pass.

This means it meets the minimum standards set by the European Union.

Saltdean Beach was also given the thumbs up by water quality experts.

It was formed by recent coastal defence work including shingle between rock groynes.

At low tide, rock pools are created and the beach is backed by high chalk cliffs.

Newhaven Beach and Seaford Dane were not tested.

MCS coastal pollution officer Thomas Bell said: 'The results reflect last summer's heavy rain which swept waterborne pollutants like raw sewage, petro-chemicals and farm waste into rivers and the sea.

'MCS is now recommending 25 per cent fewer beaches than three years ago and we're becoming concerned that the existing infrastructure for handling storm pollution may not be up to the job.'

The society advised people to pick bathing beaches with a good water quality record, stay out of the sea for at least 24 hours after heavy storms and report pollution problems to via the Good Beach Guide website.

The bathing water tests were conducted from May to September 2008, coinciding with the seventh wettest British summer on record.

Beaches failing the minimum legal standard jumped almost 50 per cent from 53 to 78.

MCS blamed this steep drop in water quality on a combination of flood water mixed with sewage gushing from combined sewer overflows, as well as polluted storm water running off farm land and city streets into rivers and the sea.

For more information on the beaches on UK beaches visit www.goodbeachguide.co.uk.