The case against a Kingston naturist arrested while doing a naked walk for charity has been dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service.

Bernard Boase, 63, from Coombe Neville, was cleared of causing distress to fellow cliff-top walkers in June of this year, when the CPS decided there was insufficient evidence for a prosecution.

He was part of a 15-strong group of naked ramblers raising money for the Marine Conservation Society, which is British Naturism's chosen charity for the year.

The group, knowing their hobby has raised some eyebrows in the past, informed police of their 20-mile charity ramble and their intention to wear only boots and rucksacks.

Mr Boase said instead of accepting the warning or telling them not to do it, police launched a major operation, including a helicopter which followed the group, and 10 officers who saw them off and escorted them.

Mr Boase said: "The Marine Conservation Society was extremely grateful. They gave me a mention on their website, a free t-shirt and a certificate.

"We thought it would easier that the police should know in case people called in. They would have been able to say yes, we do know about it and of course it is perfectly legal. For some reason they took the exact opposite position and started an expensive operation."

Mr Boase's companions agreed to put their clothes back on, but was eventually arrested on suspicion of breaching sections five and six of the Public Order Act 1986.

He was accused of using threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour within the hearing or sight of a person likely to be caused harassment, alarm or distress.

Officers said it was for his refusal to clothe himself when being told to.

Being naked is not an offence in itself, but causing alarm by being unclothed is in breach of the public order act 1986.

Having not completed the walk, Mr Boase returned in August, without telling police, and finished the distance "without complaint and largely without clothes".