Can I sunbathe naked in my own garden? What the law says
As temperatures rise, Brits have been warned about one warm weather past time that could get them in trouble.
While temperatures aren't soaring just yet, the UK is set to get a taste of summer in a matter of days with a 'mini heatwave' on the way.
From early next week, weather forecasters have predicted temperatures could reach highs of 25-27 degrees.
Not only is this set to bring the warmest weather of the year so far, but it could also be the warmest the UK has been since early September last year.
It's important to know the rules when it comes to sunbathing – especially if you plan to strip off to avoid tan lines.
Nick Ross, law lecturer at ULaw, states: 'It may be surprising to find out that topless sunbathing is perfectly legal for both men and women in the UK.
'Full public nudity is also not a crime but only if the person who strips off has no intention to cause alarm or distress. There are specific offences relating to intentional exposure.'
According to the law, it's not an offence to be naked in public, but it can be an offence if you cause distress or alarm to others.
That means you're perfectly fine to sunbathe in the nude in your own garden - as long as it doesn't upset your neighbours.
This is what the actual law states: "In the absence of any sexual context and in relation to nudity where the person has no intention to cause alarm or distress it will normally be appropriate to take no action unless members of the public were actually caused harassment, alarm or distress (as opposed to considering the likelihood of this)."
So if you live in the countryside with no one overlooking your garden, go ahead but you might want to think again if you live near others.
It's also recommended that people who want to sunbathe naked should inform their neighbours first.
Nick added: 'For those hoping to catch some sunshine in the garden these same rules still apply.
'It's advisable to let the neighbours know this is what you're planning or find a part of the garden shielded from view, so you can avoid causing any unnecessary shock or a call to the police.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Wales Online
11 hours ago
- Wales Online
What Tui, Loveholidays and other major holiday companies are saying about travelling to Greece and Turkey
What Tui, Loveholidays and other major holiday companies are saying about travelling to Greece and Turkey Holidaymakers woke up to shakes this morning The worst hit areas were Rhodes and Marmaris (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images ) The popular holiday destination of Rhodes has been hit by a 6.2 magnitude earthquake this morning, leaving many tourists concerned. A local mayor confirmed 69 people were also injured in Turkey after jumping out of the windows of their homes, and a 14-year-old girl has sadly died. The earthquake, which affected parts of Greece and Turkey, saw hotels "sway and shake really violently" as worried holiday goers woke up in the middle of the night to tremors. Content cannot be displayed without consent According to the European Mediterranean Seismological Centre, the epicentre was just outside Marmaris, a Turkish resort town, 42 miles deep at around quarter past two. The extent of damage to buildings in both Rhodes and Marmaris is currently unknown but travel companies have offered advice to tourists. From superstar gigs to cosy pubs, find out What's On in Wales by signing up to our newsletter here . Rhodes is a popular tourist destination for UK holidaymakers (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images ) Article continues below Flights to and from Dalaman and Rhodes Airport are operating as usual today and The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) has not yet issued any warnings for Brits travelling to Rhodes or Turkey. A message sent by TUI to a Brit tourist currently holidaying in Rhodes reads: "Dear Guests. We would like to inform you that an earthquake occurred at 02.17am with a magnitude of 6.6 on the Richter scale. The epicenter was located approximately 18 kilometres from Rhodes, at a depth of 68 kilometers (42 miles). "Local authorities are currently assessing the situation. At this time, there are no reports of significant damage or injuries. As a precaution, please remain calm and follow any safety instructions provided by your accommodation or local officials. "Should any specific action be required on your part, rest assured that we will contact you directly with further guidance. Your safety and well-being are our top priority." Holiday company loveholidays emailed customers travelling to Rhodes later this week. They said: "We're getting in touch following the earthquake that took place in Greece and Turkey overnight. "We're monitoring the situation closely and are in contact with our suppliers in Turkey. Due to the depth of the earthquake, they believe this to be the main event. Article continues below "At this stage your holiday is going ahead as planned and there is no current impact to your flight. However, we recommend keeping an eye on the status of your flight on your airline's website." The Independent's travel correspondent, Simon Calder, told tourists it was best to continue as normal, with no further action needed
Scottish Sun
16 hours ago
- Scottish Sun
Met Office map shows MASSIVE band of rain soaking UK as thunder & gales to hit just days after sunniest Spring on record
Some parts of the UK could expect thunder in the coming days TOTAL WASHOUT Met Office map shows MASSIVE band of rain soaking UK as thunder & gales to hit just days after sunniest Spring on record Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THE UK is set to face a huge band of rain - just days after registering its sunniest Spring on record. The Met Office has reported that Britons could face a wet spell as a band of rain moved southeastwards overnight. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 3 The rain began last night on the west coast of the UK Credit: MET Office 3 The band of rain moved southeastwards throughout the night Credit: MET Office The band of rain reached the west coast of the UK at around 6pm yesterday. It continued to move southeastwards overnight, reaching cities like Birmingham and Manchester in the early hours of the morning. Met Office meteorologist Alex Burkill said: "In the southeast it's largely fine for the time being. "But that front's going to continue southeastwards so southeastern parts turning pretty grey and a bit damp as we go through the morning and into the early afternoon." As the day continues, Brits can expect to see rainy showers becoming a bit more widespread, accompanied by strong winds. This could be particularly strong in the north, with coastal gales expected for northern Scotland. Alex added: "A bit of thunder definitely isn't out of the question." Higher temperatures are expected in the Midlands as they are set to avoid most of the bad weather. Cold air is following the front, with temperatures dropping across the UK after what has been the sunniest spring on record. Overnight, temperatures are expected to drop even further with many areas falling into the single digits. Scotland set for more record-breaking spring sunshine before rain brings end to 'mini-heatwave' Showers are likely to continue into Wednesday, becoming heavier as the day progresses. Temperatures are still remaining fairly mild with the chance for brief periods of sunshine throughout the day. Thursday is likely to be yet another rainy day, as Alex says: "Nowhere really guaranteed to stay dry." The outlook for the rest of the week from Thursday to Saturday is expected to be "cool, largely cloudy and breezy over the next few days, with showers or longer spells of rain. "Prolonged spells of heavy rain are likely across the south at times." This "unsettled weather" is set to continue into mid June with periods of rain and strong winds affecting the UK. Moving into the second half of June, the Met Office has predicted more "dry and sunny periods, perhaps with a bias towards longer dry spells early in the period." Met Office's 3-5 day weather forecast revealed Tuesday May 3 Cloud and rain will gradually move across England and Wales, eventually clearing the southeast later this afternoon. Sunny spells and blustery showers elsewhere. Windy, particularly in the north with coastal gales for northern Scotland. Cooler than recent days. Wednesday May 4 Sunny spells and showers across Northern Ireland, Scotland and northern England. Drier in the south, although turning cloudier with a few scattered showers by the afternoon. Breezy. Thursday May 5 - Saturday May 7 Cool, largely cloudy and breezy over the next few days, with showers or longer spells of rain. Prolonged spells of heavy rain are likely across the south at times. Higher temperatures can be expected at times, particularly in the south. It comes following a double record breaker spring, as it was the warmest and sunniest on record. It surpassed the previous 2024 record with the highest mean temperature since the survey began in 1884. Reaching an average temperature of 9.5 Celsius, temperatures were 1.4 above the long-term average. In addition to the warmer weather, the UK experienced 653.3 hours of sunshine - 43% above the average and the highest since records began in 1910. These higher temperatures were accompanied by very low rainfall, experiencing the driest spring in over 100 years by mid-May.
Daily Mirror
18 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
UK weather maps turn red as temperatures to soar to 27 in two weeks
Some weather maps are predicting that temperatures in the UK could go up to 27C this month - the UK has just had its warmest spring on record, provisional figures suggest Brits could be about to bake in some toasty temperatures as some weather maps turn red. Predictions from WX Charts suggest that temperatures could soar to up to 27C from June 12, with the East of England predicted to be the warmest of all. A red band of summer heat will stretch from London to Norwich, the map predicts, with the East Anglian city predicted to be 26. Temperatures could also be high all the way up to Newcastle. Further warm figures are possible in the southeast such as Sussex and Surrey, with 21C predicted. The warm weather could also spread across the southwest, with Somerset, Devon and Cornwall predicted to be slightly cooler but still warm at 17 to 20C. In the Midlands, the WX Charts map turns more orange due to predicted temperatures of up to 23C. Manchester and the surrounding areas, meanwhile, could also be around 23C. Newcastle looks to be the hottest place in the north of England at 21C into the evening that week. The eastern part of Wales will also be the hottest part of the country at 22C and Cardiff could see temperatures of 20C. Northern Ireland and Scotland look set to be cooler. There could be a milder feel of around 14C. For the same period, experts at the Met Office think June 7 to June 16 will be an 'unsettled' time, particularly at the start with many 'if not all' areas seeing showers and 'longers spells of rain'. The UK weather service said 'At first, wet weather may be focussed across the south of the UK but it looks like this focus will fairly quickly shift northwards during the first few days'. It added: 'Towards the middle of June, there is an increased chance that high pressure will become more dominant, at least in the south. This would result in some longer periods of drier weather, although unsettled spells remain likely. Following a rather cool start to this period, there is a greater chance of warmer spells towards mid-June.' It comes after provisional figures showed the UK had its warmest spring on record and its driest in more than 50 years. The three months from March to May were also the sunniest spring on record for the UK, the figures reveal. The figures come after north-west England became the first region in the country to declare a drought following the exceptionally dry spring, farmers struggled to grow crops, and millions of households were warned they could face hosepipe bans this summer without sustained rainfall. And environmental campaigners said the latest data was a 'stark warning' that climate change was no longer a distant threat, but one which needed immediate action. Spring temperatures surpassed the long term average by 1.4C and beat the previous warmest spring in 2024, in records dating back to Met Office said that eight of the 10 warmest springs on record had occurred since 2000 and the three warmest had been since 2017, in a sign of the changing climate.
