WEYMOUTH Beach has yet again shown itself to be one of Britain's top beaches – good news for people heading to the coast for the May Day bank holiday weekend.

The beach came third in the Trainline’s study of the UK’s top 10 seaside destinations, based upon the site’s ticket sales for this year.

The only UK beaches to pip Weymouth’s sandy shores were Brighton beach, which came first with its iconic Palace Pier, and Bournemouth’s seven mile coast, which came second.

Weymouth Beach’s placing follows its being voted the best beach in the country by users of TripAdvisor and ninth in the whole of Europe earlier this year.

It also received the prestigious Blue Flag award for excellence last year.

Cllr Jason Osborne, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s spokesman for Tourism, Culture and Harbour, said: “I think it is absolutely amazing, bearing in mind we are going up against some stiff competition.

“It is further evidence that what we are doing is making people come to Weymouth.”

He added: “People are aware we have great waters, which are clean and safe, it is children friendly and we are the film location of choice when it comes to Warner Brothers. So yes, another feather in our cap.”

Cllr Osborne said the placing was particularly impressive in light of some of the transport issues in the area at present, making it harder for Brits to travel to Weymouth’s coastline.

Traders along the Weymouth Beach have said that their business is likely to be boosted this season by a mixture of Brexit and the rise of staycations, due in part to troubles in popular holiday destinations abroad.

Asked what it is Weymouth has to offer which the Bournemouth and Brighton beaches do not, Cllr Osborne said: “The great things about Weymouth which we benefit from are the safe water, fantastic sand, which is very clean, and we have a Georgian façade.”

He said another big plus was that the seafront was very flat, making it easy to walk to and accessible to people of all ages.

Cllr Osborne said: “I think these accolades are telling us that we are doing it right and that we need to keep on doing what we are doing and keep the bar high.”

This May Day bank holiday weekend the weather in Weymouth is set to start with sunny spells on Saturday, followed by showers on Sunday and Monday.