CHARITY swimmer and MP Nigel Evans dived to the defence of Blackpool beach after it was hit by a Government health warning and vowed: " I'm not afraid to have a dip."

The Ribble Valley MP leapt to support the North West's flagship beach after Environment Minister Michael Meacher said he would not be donning his trunks for a paddle in the waters during Labour's conference week at the town -- and said he would not advise anyone else to do so either.

Mr Meacher told BBC Radio Five Live's Breakfast programme: "I am not going for a swim and I would not recommend anyone else to.

"This is a very serious issue and I am extremely conscious that in the north west there are several beaches -- and Blackpool is one of the key ones -- where we are slipping back, where we aren't meeting the basic mandatory standards of clean water." The ministers comments were the latest blow to the already strained relations between Lancashire's famous sea side resort and the Government, since the Labour party announced it was severing its 70-year link with Blackpool to hold its next two annual conference in the more genteel southern resorts of Brighton and Bournemouth.

But Mr Evans was quick to hit back at the Government and said he would definitely be taking the plunge in the Irish Sea when the Tories hold their conference in Blackpool next year. He said: "This is New Labour, New Snobbery. It is quite incredible that Meacher should say things about Blackpool which attracts more visitors than any other seaside resort in the whole of Europe.

"I swim in the sea at Blackpool and have no ill-effects.

"I will don my trunks when the Tories are there next year, and I challenge Meacher to come and join me."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.