POPULAR Dorset bathing spots have failed to make the grade in this year’s Good Beach Guide.

Kimmeridge Bay, Charmouth West and Church Cliff Beach in Lyme Regis have failed to meet even a minimum European standard, or equivalent, for bathing water quality in the Marine Conservation Society (MCS) guide.

They are among 42 beaches in the UK that have failed to meet a minimum standard – 17 more than in last year’s guide.

Weymouth beach and Church Ope Cove kept their recommended ratings but Sandsfoot and Castle Cove beaches dropped from recommended to mandatory. The annual guide is produced by the MCS and is published online today.

The MCS says last year’s summer, one of the wettest on record, has led to a worrying drop in the number of beaches in the UK being recommended – 113 fewer than last year.

The Dorset Wildlife Trust has a marine centre at Kimmeridge.

Julie Hatcher, of the trust, said Kimmeridge was a popular place for windsurfers and families because of the rock pools.

She added: “We were aware there were some problems with the quality of the water last year. Hopefully it doesn’t put people off going there.

“Although the water quality failed this time, I don’t think it has the same problems as other beaches in Dorset.”

The four ratings are recommended for excellent water quality, then mandatory for higher standards, guideline for standard quality and then fail.

Mandatory beaches included Bowleaze Cove and Castle Cove in Weymouth.

Ringstead Bay scored a guideline rating, which means it achieved guideline bathing water standards.

However, there was good news for Weymouth beach.

The resort’s Golden Sands once again achieved the recommended standards for excellent water quality.

Councillor Ian Bruce, Weymouth and Portland Borough Council’s spokesman for tourism and culture, said: “I think it’s a consensus that our beach in Weymouth is our best feature and this puts the icing on the cake.”

The MCS recommends only 403 of the 754 UK bathing beaches tested in 2012 as having excellent quality of water.

The Environment Agency says it has been working with its partners for a number of years to raise the quality of the bathing water at Kimmeridge. A spokesman said: “The reason for failure has been identified as wet weather related run-off. “The Environment Agency has been working with land managers in the catchment to reduce these risks. “Further investigations this year will continue to look at the impact of land management in the catchment, investigations of private sewage treatment systems and research into seaweed accumulations and their role in bathing water quality.”

Failed beaches: Lyme Regis Church Cliff Beach(2012 – Mandatory) Charmouth West (2012 – Recommended) Kimmeridge Bay (2012 – Mandatory) Recommended beaches: Weymouth central (2012 – Recommended) Weymouth Preston (Lodmoor) (2012 – Recommended) Church Ope Cove, Portland (2012 – Recommended) Durdle Door West (2012 – Recommended) Durdle Door East (2012 – Recommended) Swanage Central (2012 – Recommended) Studland Knoll House (2012 – Recommended) Shell Bay North (2012 – Recommended) Mandatory beaches: Seatown (2012 - Recommended) Eypemouth (2012 - Recommended) West Bay (West) (2012 - Recommended) Hive (2012 - Recommended) Portland Harbour Sandsfoot Castle (2012 – Recommended) Portland Harbour Castle Cove (2012 – Recommended) Lulworth Cove (2012 – Guideline) Lyme Regis Front Beach (2012 – Mandatory) Bowleaze (2012 – Guideline) Guideline beaches: Ringstead Bay (2012 – Recommended)