Naked Model In Window Display Made To Cover Up

The owners of a clothes shop in the UK have been ordered by police to cover up a window display depicting a naked man for fear it may cause 'distress' to the public.

A Police officer told the owners, Flick Sawkins and Angela Harker, of 'Starling Vendetta Boutique' that they could be prosecuted unless the body was clothed.

21-year-old Kate Montgomery created the artwork and when her friends relaunched their shop last month, she agreed to put some of her art in the window, but said she had not expected the reaction she got.

"Some of the old ladies walk past and they do look a bit horrified but most people see it and laugh," she said.

"I think some people are worried children might see it, but when you see parents walking with their children, they stop and have a look and then they laugh."

Wardens working for city council were approached by shoppers about the naked figure before the complaint was passed to police. The owners were then told they would face prosecution under section 5 of the Public Order Act for causing 'alarm or distress' unless the art work was censored.

She said the shop owners have had a lot of support from some in the community and promises that once the fuss about Keith (yes, it has a name) had died down, a replacement figure would be put in the window instead called Barbara - and she will also be completely naked.

Montgomery admits she is surprised at how much interest it has generated: "To be honest, I can't get my head around how people are being about it, it's really surreal and ridiculous."

So what did they do for the meantime? A strategically-placed fig leaf now hides the modesty of the naked man artwork.

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