Once reputed to be one of the most beautiful beaches in Senegal, Hann Bay, on the outskirts of Dakar, has lost its sheen. What was 20 kilometres of white sand is now strewn with rubbish of all kinds, and this is just the visible part of a far more serious pollution problem. From outlets along the bay's coast, domestic and industrial wastewater pours into the sea, rendering it unsafe for swimming and unsuitable for fishing. "We noticed that when you bathe, your skin is covered in oil" explains Mbacke Seck, a Hann Bay clean-up activist, who adds that the area has been polluted "since the late 70s". Residents have long called for the bay to be cleaned and now, with a new wastewater treatment plant under construction, their demands may be met. IMAGES AND SOUNDBITES ARRANGED IN SEQUENCES N°34EA66Z