I am sunbathing naked on my balcony this heatwave, neighbours complain & builders wolf-whistle but the tan’s worth it

GETTING home from the shops, Mel Shelton is dripping with sweat. Her hair is plastered to her face, her make-up is melting and the sticky humidity is unbearable – even standing in front of an open fridge offers little relief from the 31-degree summer heat. Mel Shelton will sunbathe naked on her balcony during the heatwave Credit: Supplied She has embraced a nudist lifestyle in a bid to boost her body confidents Credit: Supplied So instead of wilting in front of the living room fan, Mel strips off her dress and undies, grabs a newspaper and heads out onto her balcony. Five stories up, she’s completely naked and couldn’t care less who sees. Sign up for the Fabulous newsletter Thank you! “I love sunbathing naked and I don’t care if builders or OAPs get the odd eyeful,” Mel, 31, says. “I know my nosy neighbours can spot my tan-line-free body if they dangle dangerously from their windows. Mel says that she struggled with her body image growing up Credit: Supplied She says that ditching a bikini avoids any awkward tan lines Credit: Supplied “I’ve been cheered by builders working on the seventh floor across the road and occasionally window cleaners will wave, wink and give me a thumbs up. “I don’t care what they think. I can cover my bits with the newspaper should I attract any peepers. “Being buff on the balcony is the perfect cure for summer sweats and heatwave exhaustion.” Mel, who lives in a two-bedroom rented apartment in a multi-storey block of 50 flats in Warrington, Cheshire, proudly admits she is the block’s “naked neighbour”. Most read in Fabulous “Being buff in the breeze helps me accept my flaws, improve my self-confidence and gives my mental health a much-needed boost after a busy day. “When the weather heats up it’s my chance to get a tan for free and enjoy the sunshine from the privacy of my own balcony. “Topless or even nude sunbathing boosts my mood, increases my vitamin D intake and gives me the perfect summer glow that fake tans or sunbeds simply can’t.” And Mel, a hairdresser and mature-age psychology student, isn’t alone in her love of strip-sunbathing. An Ipsos survey found more than a third (39%) of British adults have tried some form of nude recreation, including skinny-dipping, naked sunbathing or visiting a naturist beach. The British Naturism commissioned study found a staggering 6.75 million people identify as naturists or nudists around 14% of Brits.. Mel, who moved in three years ago, nervously tried topless sunbathing on her high-up balcony in June 2023 and loved how liberating it made her feel. She’d previously sunbathed topless in a garden protected by trees and high fences but never on the balconing of an inner city multi storey apartment complex. LAWS ON SUNBATHING NAKED According to government guidance, it is not illegal to sunbathe naked in your own garden. However, this all changes if the intent behind your actions is to cause harm to others. It is a crime if you intentionally expose yourself to others with the purpose of causing distress and alarm, under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. If you are found to be breaking this law you could wind up in prison for two years and be slapped with an unlimited fine. The Crown Prosecution Service adds that a “balance needs to be struck between the right to freedom of expression and the right of the wider public to be protected from harassment, alarm and distress”. In this case, police advise to exercise some caution and discretion when baring all outside. With this in mind, it is probably best to avoid stripping off in your garden if it overlooks your neighbours. And you should also not sunbathe naked in your local park. Your neighbours also have a legal right to complain if they do spot you baring all in the summer sun. This could land you in some hot water with local authorities. So if you are especially eager to strip down in the sun it may be worth investing in tall hedges or privacy fences. Mel says: “It initially felt naughty and risqué. “But after half an hour I felt the stress of the day had melted away. “Not only that, topless and naked sunbathing saves me £80 a month. That’s money I don’t have to spend at tanning salons.” The following summer, in 2024, Mel stripped off further and tried naked sunbathing and felt more body-confident than ever. “It wasn’t about being an exhibitionist. It was about having an outdoor space that was mine and allowing myself not to worry about my sagging bits and bobs,” she explains. This wasn’t always the case as growing up Mel explained she hated her body and felt that she didn’t fit in. “I had spots, felt frumpy and was jealous of other girls’ confidence,” she says. “When I left home I vowed to beat my lack of body confidence.” Having embraced her body, Mel is vowing to make 2026 her most naked year yet. “I’m in my thirties and want to tick off my bucket list of naked firsts before I get older,” she says. Her list includes a naturist spa, nudist beaches in Spain and France, hiking in the buff, skinny-dipping and a stay at a naturist campsite. Last week Mel ticked off naked yoga from her nudist bucket list. She says: “I love yoga but attending a naked class was nerve-racking. When I finished I had a huge rush of adrenaline. I was proud I’d pushed myself.” She also plans to attend a British Naturism festival and stay at a naturist hotel. “No one is pervy, it’s the new on-trend activity to try,” she says. “Many swimsuits are so tiny you’re better off being buff.” “So many of my friends, especially women under 30, are taking up naked challenges just like me.” An Ipsos survey found Gen Z is leading the trend, with 55% of 16 to 24-year-olds having tried nude recreation, including skinny-dipping, nude sunbathing or visiting a naturist beach. Almost a quarter or 23% identify as naturists or nudists. And for those anxious to avoid a run-in with the law, according to Crown Prosecution Service guidance, public nudity is not in itself an offence in England and Wales unless it is intended to cause alarm or distress, or amounts to a public order or sexual offence. Although Mel admits her buff balcony lifestyle has occasionally backfired. “I fell asleep for an hour last year and forgot to put on suncream,” she says. “I ended up with a burnt bottom and boobs. I had to use aftersun lotion. I learnt my lesson and always top up my SPF because I have fair skin.” Across Britain, heatwave temperatures are set to continue and Mel says it’s time to follow her lead, lather up the suncream and head outside. “It’s summer holiday time and it’s the best time to try a topless adventure or a spot of naked sunbathing,” she says. “I thought I would try it once and never again. Now I have started a year of buff bravery.” Mel admits there are many times she’s been caught in the buff and given onlookers the shock of their lives. “Window cleaners and repair men are often working on the outside of the apartment block,” she says. “There have been a few times when I opened my eyes to gawking blokes, the odd wolf whistle or a thumbs up. “The first time it happened I scarpered inside. Now I just wave hello and cover myself with my newspaper . “As for grumpy OAPs who disapprove, I just smile when they waggle their fingers at me, I think they and everyone else should give it a go. “Just remember if you are going to go topless or naked, check who is around, be considerate and don’t break the law. “The weather’s heating up so joins the growing number of other women stripping off and embracing ‘buff love.” Comment now