A little-known seaside town in Britain has been ranked as the best in the country and one of the most popular beach destinations in Europe.
Gorleston-on-Sea in Norfolk has been described as a "hidden gem" by resident Emma Flaxman-Taylor, a local councillor, and has earned four-and-a-half stars on Tripadvisor.
It is described as "a stunning bay" with "a huge, wide curving, sandy beach" which has all sorts of commodities including a children's splash pad, shops, cafes and an amenity area.
Ms Flaxman-Taylor said the town's beach is "gorgeous" and has attracted numerous visitors in recent years, in part due to the rise in staycations during the coronavirus pandemic.
She said: "I call it a pure beach because it is just sand with no stones. We have got a cliff and a lovely promenade beneath it, and then this huge expanse of sand.
"It is not over-commercialised although there are lovely pubs, restaurants, shops and places to get ice cream."
Fellow councillor Paul Wells said Gorleston is a "very nice and tasteful town" with "an absolutely fantastic beach".
He added: "People either don't know about Gorleston, or if they do know about it, then they love it. Loads more people have been cottoning on to the beach in recent years, especially since Covid."
A review posted on Tripadvisor last month describes Gorleston Beach as "the hidden gem of Norfolk.".
Another review says the beach was the "best-kept secret" until it featured in Best Beaches awards and was voted the 12th best in Europe.
A couple who visited Gorleston in January wrote: "Regular visitors of this beach and pier, sometimes we don’t even get out the car, just get a bag of chips, pick a great parking spot with incredible views and watch the waves crash against the side of the pier during a storm.
"On fairer days we like to fish from the pier and/or walk the dogs on the beach, there are cafes nearby that are very reasonably priced, public toilets that are cleaned regularly and plenty of places to purchase hot drinks or ice cream! We will continue to visit this special little place for many years to come."
The beach also has more than 3,000 positive reviews on Google, with a person saying it is "clean and sandy" and adding that the "sea air lifts the soul".
Another wrote: "A person's experience of a beach is largely affected by the prevailing weather.
"Fortunately for me, the weather has been absolutely superb in this corner of the Norfolk coast.
"The beach itself is lovely with a wide sandy section which becomes more pebbly as you approach the low tide mark.
"It was a hot day but made to feel very pleasant by the cool onshore breeze."
Local Denis Great, 49, said Gorleston is a "lovely, quiet place", adding: "I was not all surprised that the beach won the Tripadvisor title.
"It is a lovely, quiet place and I recommend it to anyone. It is always clean and I come down her most days. It is rammed with people and families in the summer."
Recruitment manager Louise, 56, said: "Look at the beach. It's just gorgeous, lovely sand. It is well deserved for it to be named the best in the UK.
"The sand is incredibly fine and the dog loves running around on it. The sand near my dad's place in Devon is almost red in colour and makes the dog filthy."
