The relevance of the following may escape you at first but please read on to the last two paras which may ring a bell or two.

Nude sunbathing continues at county's isolated beaches.

NUDISTS CELEBRATE U-TURN ON SEX LAW
Dorset Echo 16 June 2003
By Harry Walton

Dorset nudists are celebrating after the Government scrapped plans to ban their pursuit. A new law would have made it illegal for Britain's five million naturists to bathe nude on secluded beaches or bare all in their gardens.

But pressure from British Naturism has seen the Government abandon plans for the curb.

This leaves naturists free to take their clothes off and enjoy around 24 unofficial nudists beaches in the South West, including five in Dorset which also has an official naturist beach at Studland.

Now naturists can take their clothes off at county sites including Burton Bradstock, Swyre, Ringstead Bay, Durdle Door and Hengistbury Head.

British Naturism regional spokesman Mike Berridge said: "This is a victory for all nudists across the South West. "The Government has seen sense, having recognised that nudists are an integral part of society. We have a right to this lifestyle and it would have been a huge blow if the legislation had not been amended."

The U-turn means that the contentious section – Clause 70 of the Sexual Offences Bill – has been replaced by Clause 69, which has allowed nudists to strip off without the intent to 'cause fear, alarm or distress'. The Government accepted that 'exposure' would have been deemed a criminal offence which would have outlawed nudism.

Dorset County Council cabinet environment spokeswomen Coun Hilary Cox said today that the Government decision reflected a common sense approach to an aspect of tourism which could not be ignored.

She added: "It is recognition of people's right to a pastime, provided it gives no offence to others."