A NUDIST beach has been slammed by locals who say perverts treat it like a porn set.

The picturesque Shellness, on the popular Isle of Sheppey in Kent, has been an "official" nudist beach since the 1970s.

Dozens of naturists flock to the sand dunes on sunny days to enjoy sunbathing and swimming without clothes.

Yet the area has more recently been plagued by "sad, middle-aged men getting up to no good".

Stuart Haylock, 50, who lives near Maidstone, claimed he has seen "shocking" things over the last few weeks – as he put up a fence close to the beach.

The former Royal Navy serviceman said: "Sadly some parts of society seem to think that because it's a naturist area it should be treated like a porn set.

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"What I've witnessed in the past couple of weeks is sad, lonely middle-aged men getting up to no good.

"I've spoken with some of the actual naturists and they're lovely people. What they're trying to do is just sunbathe naked without any interaction with perverts.

"But I can only tell you what I've physically seen in the last few days. It's shocking."

The beach is treated like a porn set

Another man, who did not want to be named but lives close to the beach said he has called the police "a number of times".

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He said: "These perverts have been using the area for sex.

"There could be kids coming round here but they don't care. Many of them don't just stay for a few hours either, they park up in the nearby car park and stay for a week.

"The actual naturists themselves tend to be alright. They've put some signs up now as we did used to have a problem with them staying in their area, but now it's okay."

A Swale Borough Council sign leading to the open beach reads: "Clothing need not be worn beyond this point within the boundary of the naturist beach".

The beach, on the North Kent coast, is just half a mile south east from Leysdown beach.

Other residents in the nearby marshy seaside town endorsed a "live and let live" attitude towards those using the area to sunbathe naked.

Sarah Howe, 43, who helps run the Coastal Park Garden Cafe, said it was "mainly just old men sat in the dunes".

She said: "You don't get a lot of women there, it's mainly just old men sat in the dunes. But they are pretty harmless.

"There is another element, I've heard other people – not the naturists – use the area for public sex.  But unless you were made aware you wouldn't know it was going on."

Better signposts

Mum Julie Potter, 43, said she wished the area was more clearly signposted.

She added: "I've grown up here for 38 years and its always been there.

"I completely forgot about it until about eight years ago when I was taking a walk with the kids and my eldest walked passed the beach.

"He turned to me and said: 'Mummy that man's got his bits out' and I thought 'Oh God'.

"It doesn't bother me but I do think they should make it clearer that it's a nudist beach.

"Some of the parents won't know and will take their kids round there without knowing."

Naturist Lexi Oxbridge, 64 who lives in nearby Queenborough on the Isle of Sheppey, said she agreed with locals' anger.

The vintage jewellery restorer added: "I think there is some anger about people who use the nudist beach for other things which we completely share.

"Maybe some get confused about who's doing that and get angry at some of naturists thinking that we participate in that sort of thing, but it's a completely different group of people.

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"On a busy sunny day we can have around 30 people here. But you still have your own space, it's very relaxing."

The SunOnline has contacted Kent Police and Swale Borough Council for comment.

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