Gardens opening for naked walks

The owners say taking your clothes off is 'liberating'

A country garden in Wiltshire has opened for a naturist day allowing visitors to explore it au naturel.

Malmesbury's Abbey House Gardens' Clothes Optional Day has been organised by owners Barbara and Ian Pollard.

Former model, Mrs Pollard, 53, told the BBC that she organised the day to "explore attitudes to something that has become mixed up with sex".

The couple say they have informed police and neighbours about the event and received no objections.

People have said it is like the Garden of Eden Ian Pollard

"We got involved in a documentary about working naked," said Mrs Pollard.

"We then had endless emails asking if we could share the garden and if we could take our clothes off - and we thought, 'why not?'

"I'm self-conscious about my own body and it took me a while to get my head around taking my clothes off.

"Now I feel liberated doing it and I think 'why does it matter'?"

Property developer Mr Pollard, said: "People have said it is like the Garden of Eden.

"We are trying to achieve the innocence and purity of pre-Fall Man."

Mr Pollard, a naturist since his 20s and a father-of-three, added: "We do not think there should be a requirement to wear clothes. People hide their real identity behind clothes."