SHALDON beach has been rated excellent in a mid-season health check by The Good Beach Guide, writes Hannah Taylor. It is an improvement on last year, when it received a basic pass. The guide, published by the Marine Conservation Society, checks the quality of bathing waters in line with European standards. The Ness Beach, Shaldon, maintained its excellent rating for the third year. Teignmouth main beach was rated a pass in line with its results for 2004 and 2005. Teignmouth back beach was not tested this year. It received a pass in 2005. The Shaldon beaches are among 140 south west beaches that were rated excellent during the first half of the bathing season. The results are up by 32 from 2005. Teignmouth main beach is one of four in the region that gained a basic pass. None of the beaches failed the European mandatory standard. South West Water has welcomed the news. Chief executive Chris Loughlin said: 'South West Water works hard to achieve high standards in the quality of the region's bathing waters. These results are a testimony to the dedication and professionalism of our staff and our multi-million pound Clean Sweep programme, which has led to the closure of 220 crude sewage discharges and has helped to make the region's bathing waters, beaches and rivers some of the finest in the UK. 'Despite the report's positive results, the weather plays a major part in bathing water quality. 'The unsettled weather we have experienced in the second half of the bathing season presents its own challenges, where heavy downpours can cause agricultural pollution to be washed into rivers and beaches and can also lead to storm discharges from our system. 'As such, we will continue our work with the Environment Agency and local councils to minimise the impact of this on tourism.'