Bathing restrictions lifted over E.coli at Doonbeg beach

Bathing restrictions at Whitestrand Doonbeg beach in Co Clare over high levels of E.coli bacteria have been lifted.

On Wednesday people were warned to stay away from the bathing waters, due to higher than normal levels of E.coli.

On Friday Clare County Council lifted the bathing prohibition notice, following water sample tests.

It is suspected the source of the E.coli was water runoff from surrounding land, which occurred during heavy rainfall over the previous weekend.

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Tests were run on water samples at the beach over Wednesday and Thursday by the Health Service Executive (HSE), a spokesman for the local authority said.

Following the tests HSE officials advised the council it was safe to lift the bathing restrictions at the beach.

The beach is located a short distance from Doonbeg Golf Course, which is owned by the US President Donald Trump.

E.coli lives in the digestive tracts of humans and animals. Most types of the bacteria are harmless but some can cause diarrhoea.

Some strains may also cause severe anaemia or kidney failure.