A group of campaigners protested outside a popular water park last night in a bid to ban a family nude-swimming session.
Around 20 people demonstrated by the entrance to Waterworld in Stoke-on-Trent at 7pm, with some wearing branded t-shirts.
British Naturism launched the swim for adults and children of all ages but faced a backlash from some parents who feared paedophiles may attend.
The event encourages visitors to step out of their costumes and swim naked for two hours on April 13. Protesters including paedophile hunters gathered outside Waterworld in Stoke last night
The group of around 20 people stand outside the water park, with some wearing branded t-shirts
Staffordshire Police were at the park last night to ensure the protest remained peaceful.
Protesters Natasha Whitlock and Susan Quinn from Facebook group Paddy’s Exposure were the first to arrive and claimed the ‘children will be scarred for life’.
Ms Whitlock, 59, from Telford said: ‘We’re from the Facebook group Paddy’s Exposure which was set up to expose paedophiles.
Natasha Whitlock and Susan Quinn from Paddy’s Exposure attended the protest yesterday. They want a ban on children participating
‘There’s going to be quite a few people coming and possibly some paedophile hunters.
‘We are just going to stand and protest against it because it’s wrong on so many levels.
‘I know people who were able to buy tickets online and no background checks were done. Not all paedophiles are convicted.’
She claimed: ‘It’s exposing kids, anyone can buy tickets online and CCTV cameras won’t pick up everything.
‘If my children were young I’d never take them to a nudist swim, it should be 18 plus because the children can’t give consent. They will be scarred for life.’
British Naturism has leapt to the defence of a nude swimming swimming session for adults and children after a petition called for the event to be banned
More than 4,000 people have signed a petition calling for children’s involvement to be stopped.
Emma Hadaway, the creator of the petition, wrote that she is not against naturists but thinks that nude events are a ‘massive safeguarding issue’.
John Lawrence travelled from Oldham, Greater Manchester, to protest against the swim last night.
Protesters John Lawrence, from Oldham, and Michael Coleman, from Stoke, stand by Waterworld last night at around 7pm
The 51-year-old said: ‘This shouldn’t go on. It’s children, our children, and we don’t want to expose them to this.
‘We don’t know what background checks are being done to check the sex offenders register, and I don’t see how they can check their history.’
He claimed: ‘I’ve not been here for long and there’s been half a dozen men go in on their own.’
And Michael Coleman, 50, from Weston Coyney, Stoke, said: ‘I don’t think it’s right for adults to be parading around naked in front of children, it’s immoral.
‘I’m not suggesting they’re wrong doers, but this could lead to the sexualisation of children.
‘If adults are taking their clothes off around children there’s a sexual aspect to that.’
But Waterworld owner Mo Chaudry hit back at protesters and branded critics of the event as scaremongers.
Mo Chaudry, owner of Waterworld, said protesters and the Far Right Britain First had been ‘scaremongering’ and ‘trying to whip up a frenzy’
‘Much has been written over the past few weeks about British Naturism’s decision to hire Waterworld for a private evening swimming session, he told the Stoke Sentinel.
‘We have been unjustly accused of encouraging paedophiles. Far Right protest group Britain First has been trying to whip up a frenzy by handing out inflammatory flyers.
‘Some of our staff have even been subjected to unacceptable and unwarranted personal abuse.’
He added: ‘So it’s time to set the record straight and get this situation into perspective.’
Peter Wright, manager of the legal department at British Naturism, also defended the event.
He said every member of the group is strictly vetted and those on the Sex Offenders Register are not permitted to join.
He said: ‘We have 9,000 members – an increase of 1,000 people since last year – and no-one who is on the sex offenders register is permitted to join.
‘Each year, we hold six or seven events and each one is a chance for like-minded people to get together and enjoy themselves.
‘Naturism is a philosophical belief in a natural, naked lifestyle, a healthy, wholesome lifestyle shared by millions in Britain and in Europe.
‘The events we hold are very carefully managed. There is always a safe-guarding officer at the swims and we work very closely with the police.
‘We care for our children just as much as any other sector in society and so it is absurd for anyone to suggest that we would allow them to be abused for any reason.’