Salmon, dolphins and sea horses are making their homes off and around the Fylde Coast, a leading water specialist says.

Jeff Lang, the man in charge of waste water for United Utilities says £7 billion of new investment has paid off for the region with bathing water now said to be even cleaner than the Mediterranean.

And Mr Lang, who is also chairman of the North West Coastal Forum, a group bringing together public, private and voluntary organisations to improve the region's shorelines, says things will get even better.

"I have heard that there have been some dolphins around, although I haven't seen them myself," said Mr Lang: "We have had certain species returning to the rivers and seas, including salmon and sea horses.

"The bathing waters are the cleanest they have been since the industrial revolution. I've seen people fishing in rivers that haven't been fished in years.

"Back in 1988 just six out of the 37 beaches in the north west passed the bathing water standards. 36 out of the 37 passed the latest inspections.. The water treatment works we used to have acted as little more than a sieve - now we use biological and chemical treatments."

And Mr Lang hailed new European legislation, due to come into force in 2012 which will put an emphasis on water pollution from other sources, including farming.

"We are still striving to improve the situation further and we will be putting in a further £2.96 billion over the next five years," he added.

But the price of the additional investment will, he added, fall largely on the water giant's customers.

He spoke yesterday as Environment Minister Elliot Morley announced that a record number of English beaches including seven in the North West achieved Europe's tightest bathing water standards.

"It has a big impact on us as a company, with a £7 billion investment since privatisation and a further £2.96 billion to come. Shareholders will find part of that but it will also impact on customers in terms of prices, there's no doubt about that