The Philippines has announced its best-known holiday island Boracay will be closed to tourists for six months over concerns that the once idyllic white-sand resort has become a “cesspool” tainted by dumped sewage.

A spokesperson for President Rodrigo Duterte said the closure would begin on 26 April.

President Duterte had previously described the island as a “cesspool,” and was concerned the island could be turned into a “fishpond or a sewer pool” if its environmental needs weren’t addressed.

Boracay had nearly 2 million visitors in 2017.

The decision will affect thousands of people employed in the island.

The island is home to around 500 tourism-related businesses, which drew in annual revenue of $1.07bn (£760m) last year.

However, the government said affected companies will receive financial aid.