THE Health Ministry yesterday moved to quash concerns that Clearwater Beach was unsafe for swimmers, insisting that a series of recent tests had proved its waters free of pollutants and bacteria."We can confirm that the water is safe at Clearwater," said Health Permanent Secretary Warren Jones. "We sample seawater from Clearwater every third week and the last sample was taken from this beach on Monday, June 30."

The Mid-Ocean News raised the possibility that the area might be contaminated, highlighting comments from a physician who treated a handful of children for various maladies after they had been swimming at the St. David's beach. According to the doctor, the numbers were sufficient to raise a red flag.

Mothers who read the article contacted the newspaper this week, explaining that their children had also suffered allergic reactions requiring medical treatment after swimming at Clearwater and that they were desperate to know whether or not the beach is safe.

Said one: "He visited the beach on a class picnic and came away with the same symptoms (detailed in the previous article)."

The East End resident said she and her husband initially thought what their child was experiencing "was a fluke" but on reading that others have had similar problems, their hope is that the authorities are able to "pinpoint the problem".

As stated in last week's article, the beach has been regularly tested for bacteria, chemical contaminants and garbage pollutants. Results have been negative. However, following questions from the Mid-Ocean News a Government spokesperson insisted that a site visit was to be made last Friday with further samples of the water collected and examined at the beginning of this week.

As of press time yesterday, Government had not replied to questions asking whether the tests were conducted and if so, what the findings were.

Health Minister Nelson Bascome raised the issue in the House of Assembly last week. The Parliamentarian railed against the idea that there was anything wrong with the beach, describing the Mid-Ocean News article as irresponsible and insisting it had put forth "misinformation about our country".

"It's trying when the Mid-Ocean can do what it wants," he said. "It can send headlines around the world that state Bermuda's beaches are contaminated, with just loose facts. They haven't taken one sample of water to the Environmental Health Office. When are they going to take responsibility?

"My health inspectors went down today and they did do testing on the beach and the only thing they found on the beach that was contaminated was a diaper. We will continue the testing, but we cannot continue to allow a medium to bring disrepute and misinformation about our country and on our national pride - our beaches. It's time to grow up and be responsible."

The mother of a young family first raised the possibility that the water might be unsafe - her nine-year-old daughter required medical care after her eyes swelled to resemble those of "a gecko" after swimming at the beach. The girl's 10-year-old cousin, who was suffering from allergies prior to the swim, had to be taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital for treatment. Their reactions occurred within hours of their visit to the beach. The woman insisted that the mysterious reactions could not have been a general reaction to the sea as the children regularly swam elsewhere.

"They didn't eat anything different or do anything different," she stated.

It was only after her daughter's visit to the doctor where she admitted she had been swimming at Clearwater, that a possible cause was raised, the mother added. Contacted by this newspaper, her doctor admitted to having also seen a handful of other children with swimming-related problems who all had Clearwater in common.

"I basically have been asking where people are swimming, making note," he stated then. "I don't know Clearwater very well. There's not enough evidence to say that Clearwater has a problem but what I will say is I don't know how many beaches we've got I've not heard of people having problems from swimming at Horseshoe Bay."