PEOPLE ARE BEING advised not to swim in the sea at Claremont and Malahide beaches in north county Dublin after routine testing found E. coli bacteria in the water.

Fingal County Council released the ‘do not swim’ notices yesterday evening based on E. coli results for bathing samples taken on Tuesday.

The cause of the bacteria in the water was not revealed by the council. The notices will be in place for 72 hours.

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Resamples are set to be taken tomorrow and the results are expected on Saturday.

The advisory notices state that to reduce the risk of illness, beach users should:

• Avoid swallowing or splashing water,
• Wash your hands before handling food,
• Avoid swimming with an open cut or wound,
• Avoid swimming if you are pregnant or have a weakened immune system.

The two beaches remain open but visitors are being urged to respect the advisory notices as they have been put in place to ensure that the health of bathers is not compromised.

People intending to swim at any beach in Ireland are advised to check the water quality in advance on the EPA website or by checking the notice board at the entrance to each beach.