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Naturists have jumped to the defence of naked child swim sessions, claiming they are in children’s “best interest”.

Leading lovers of nature hit back against “mass hysteria” prompted by Ryedale Naturist Club’s free swim offer to under 18s.

A council investigation was launched into the club after The Gazette disclosed details of an advert encouraging kids to swim nude alongside adults at Derwent Pool, near Malton, North Yorkshire .

References to children, and the club’s free entry offer, have since been deleted from the club’s website after a flurry of online anger.

(Image: Google)

But British Naturism (BN) stood by the sessions, saying: “A naturist environment is a safe, happy and healthy environment for a child to be a part of.

“Prudery, not openness or nudity, harms children.”

Andrew Calow, from BN Yorkshire, said it is in a child’s “best interest” to see real bodies rather than explore the internet.

He said: “Don’t let readers’ prejudices masquerade as facts. Naturism is a family activity enjoyed by people all over the world.

“Children are safe attending a naturist swim with their parents. They attend as part of a family unit.”

He added: “I am sure that any parent abusing their children would choose somewhere private, away from possible observation.

“A naturist swim is probably one of the safest environments. There is no need for the mass hysteria demonstrated in the comments which seem to have the supposition that children should not be around naked adults.”

Ryedale Naturist Club claimed to offer the “best chance of a naked swim” in the North when its doors close to the public between 3pm and 5pm every other Sunday.

Age, shape, race and background are “irrelevant” - and a deleted post on its website had even offered two free child tickets per adult.

Ryedale District Council, who owns the pool, is now investigating whether there is a “risk to the welfare of children”.

But Peter Wright, from BN’s legal team, hit out at what he called the “Mary Whitehouse Appreciation Society”, as well as “religious bigots” who associate nakedness with wrongdoing.

Quoting sections of BN’s website, he said: “We believe that children should be brought up and kept safe in an environment of openness and body honesty.

“They should know about how their bodies work, what happens to them at puberty and what a normal consensual sexual relationship is, before they experience it as adults.

“This should be done ideally by bringing up children in a Naturist environment where body honesty is key.”

He added: “We believe that bringing children up in such an environment and with wholesome, honest and open body attitudes leads to better sexual health outcomes for young people, fewer body image disorders, and more sensible attitudes to life.”