STRIPPING naked and cycling through town centres in the buff could be seen as a rather extreme method of campaigning for a cleaner environment.

But the organisers of the World Naked Bike Ride events held annually across Essex believe some climate change protestors have gone too far.

They are seeking to distance themselves from Extinction Rebellion - the group which has grabbed headlines across the world for their drastic protesting measures.

Organiser Robert Brown said the activists damage their own cause.

He said: “Stopping ordinary people getting to work is not going to help their perception with the public. They go too far and it is damaging.”

The aim of the World Naked Bike Ride is to promote cleaner living, positive body images and to highlight the vulnerability of cyclists in traffic.

It has reached 70 cities across 20 countries, from Argentina and Finland to South Africa and New Zealand.

In the UK, public nudity is not a criminal offence unless it is intended to cause distress.

But the Four Seasons group, which includes Colchester and Clacton, hopes to change the movement’s constitution to ban promotion of Extinction Rebellion and other organisations on their rides.

A spokesman said: “Although we understand the reasons why Extinction Rebellion does what it does, we cannot agree with its actions.

“We feel if they were to be taking part in our World Naked Bike Rides this could put us all at risk of being arrested.”

“We are distancing ourselves from Extinction Rebellion as much as we can do so.”

Extinction Rebellion has three demands - it calls on the UK Government to “tell the truth” about the climate and ecological emergency, it wants the Government to adopt a target of zero carbon by 2025 and to set up a citizens’ assembly to decide future policy on the environment.