Skinny dipping event cancelled over legal concerns

Ross Mantle said money raised from the event was due to go to Jersey Hospice Care

A charity skinny dip in Jersey has been cancelled because it could be breaking the law.

The event was planned to take place later this month, with the money raised going to Jersey Hospice Care.

St John Constable Andy Jehan said he was "disappointed" to cancel the swim at Bonne Nuit, but said: "Once I knew there could be a breach of the law, clearly, I couldn't give it my consent".

Similar events in Guernsey have had up to 70 swimmers and have made almost £11,000 for local cancer charities over the past three years.

Ross Mantle suggested: "If you're not clothed, then maybe the law doesn't apply"

The naturist swim was planned for 13 July, having had permission from the police, the Bailiff and Constable Jehan.

But Mr Jehan said he had to cancel the event last week, having discovered it could be breaching the Policing of Beaches (Jersey) Regulations 1959, which said no person "shall on any beach behave or be clothed in any manner reasonably likely to offend public decency".

Event organiser Ross Mantle said the "wording of the law is open to interpretation" and said "if you're not clothed, then maybe the law doesn't apply".

Mr Mantle had personally raised £450 and said: "Somewhere, sometime on this island, I definitely will be skinny dipping."

Constable Jehan said he hoped the event could go ahead in the future

Constable Jehan said the challange was the timing and two weeks was not long enough to seek legal advice.

"I see no reason why it couldn't happen in Jersey in the future if we can get over this one small problem," he said.