A row has broken out over which county in Britain has the longest coastline.
Kent County Council claim a figure of 350 miles which it says is longer than any other.
But the Environment Agency – using maps and satellite images – say honours should go to Cornwall with a total of 435 miles.
Meanwhile the west country county itself is more conservative as the Visit Cornwall tourist board says the figures is around 350 – “give or take a few”.
But this figure does not include the coastline around the Scilly Isles whereas the EA calculation does.
Cambridge University has also added to the controversy – coming out in favour of Kent as academics do not count all the small river estuaries in Cornwall which go towards the large total.
An Environment Agency spokesman said: “We give Cornwall a figure of 435 miles because this includes the lower parts of the estuaries which make up local rivers.
“Also the Scilly Isles are taken into account. Kent has large rivers as well such as the Swale and Medway estuaries and these should obviously be taken into account.
“Really it is a matter of interpretation.”
Kent County Council later said its publicity material should have qualified its claim and stated the coastline was “one of the longest”. However staff at County Hall said the “fact” has also appeared on various websites.
A Visit Cornwall spokeswoman categorically denied the EA figure.
“We would never say that – that is too much,” she said. “For our purposes we don’t include the Isles of Scilly. They may be part of Cornwall technically but they really do look after their own interests.
“We’d say around 350 miles or so – can’t we call it a draw?”
POSTED: 19/10/2008 07:00:00
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