Blast Beach nr. Dawdon Colliery

Blast Beach is a stretch of coastline near Dawdon, south of Seaham in County Durham, England, adjacent to the site of the former Dawdon Colliery which operated until 1991. For much of the 20th century the beach was used as a dumping ground for colliery waste, resulting in a dramatically black and heavily polluted shoreline. Following the closure of the colliery and extensive reclamation work by Durham County Council, the beach has been substantially cleaned and restored to a more natural state. The beach's unusual industrial history and striking landscape have made it a distinctive film and photography location.