NAKED TRUTH: Patea residents have been left wondering if this sign could be real.

Patea residents are bemused to suddenly discover they have a nudist beach.

Some time in the last week a sign proclaiming the beach "naturists and sunseekers" friendly has been erected at the beach's hilltop car park.

So far no-one has claimed responsibility for the prank sign.

But residents who spoke to the Taranaki Daily News yesterday were not completely opposed to a "clothing optional" area.

Pamela Andrew said she thought the sign was real.

She said as long as it was away from the main beach area and appropriate safeguards were in place, she wouldn't be complaining.

"It would be a good spot for it in summer," she said.

Another resident who didn't want to be named said she didn't think the township had enough nudists to make the venture viable.

Taranaki Naturists Club spokesman Arthur Eagle saidthere are an "awful lot of people" who like going to the beach and getting their clothes off.

"And you can be nude on any beach as long as you are not acting in an offensive manner."

However, the Patea Lions Club, whose logo and name appears on the sign, was less impressed.

Club president Michelle Woollett said although it was well done, the club was well and truly distancing itself from the sign.

"Each to their own, I guess."

She said the sign would be taken down soon.

It also appears that Whanganui MP Chester Borrows has been drawn into the controversy.

A sign pointing a link to his website was attached.

He noted ironically it was the only hoarding he had in Patea that wasn't demolished within 24 hours.

"Any publicity is good publicity," he said.