It's set to be a scorcher, with 31C highs forecast for Bristol ahead of some showers tomorrow.
Your weekend plans might consist of heading to the beach, enjoying a BBQ, or soaking up the rays in your back garden. But before you strip off in the comfort of your backyard, you might want to know what the laws are on sunbathing naked or topless.
The good news is that it's not against the law to be naked, or partially naked, in your garden. But it can become a problem if you cause alarm or distress to others, so you have to be discreet.
Also read: Bristol heatwave live: how hot will it get, Met Office warning latest, how long will it last for?
According to the Crown Prosecution Service "a balance needs to be struck between the naturist's right to freedom of expression and the right of the wider public to be protected from harassment, alarm and distress". Meanwhile police advise those who want an even tan to be inconspicuous.
Avon and Somerset Police says the law is clear on being naked in public. A spokesperson told BristolLive: "Under the Sexual Offences Act 2003, it is not an offence for a person to appear naked in public but it becomes an offence if it can be proved that the person stripped off with the intention to cause distress, alarm or outrage."
Police in Surrey suggested people who want to sunbathe naked inform their neighbours first – after a 'neighbour dispute' broke out over the issue in 2020. They said: “In an ideal world, your relationship with your neighbours would be such that they would not object to you gardening in the buff and they would never dream of calling the police.
"In the real world, however, you would be well advised to take some simple precautions. You will have to decide whether your desire to be naked in your garden is more important to you than being on friendly terms with those around you."
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