A MONMOUTHSHIRE man was “furious” that his wife’s session in a sauna was interrupted by dozens of naturists.

Norman Williams, 70, said Helen, 54, who is originally from China, came home confused on Friday after being confronted with the scenes at Chepstow leisure centre, at around 8.30pm on January 4.

He said: “She went in as normal to the gymand swimming pool. She was then in the sauna, when men and women came in with no clothes on at all.

“They were all in the swimming pool. She went into the changing room and there were men and women in there naked.

“My wife changed quickly and came home. I was furious.

What if there were children about?”

Mr Williams phoned the leisure centre to complain, and was told it was a naturist meeting which had taken place for years.

He asked if staff had checked if there were other people in the centre beforehand.

“My wife didn’t know whether it was a culture thing. It’s a place for public use. We’re not going there again,” Mr Williams added.

The couple, who met through friends, married in Xi’an, China, in 2008.

Monmouthshire Council’s leisure activities manager, Ian Saunders, said: “Chepstow leisure centre has two sauna areas, one downstairs and one upstairs, and the Western Swimming naturist group, who privately hire the swimming pool each Friday evening, use the upstairs sauna area to change.

Approximately 40 members of the club attend on a regular basis.

“Unfortunately a lady booked a sauna and found herself in the upper sauna area. Usually our staff clear the public from the areas used by the Western Swimming group and we are naturally very disappointed that on this occasion the lady concerned was left in the sauna as the group entered.

“This is the first problem we have encountered in 25 years that the club has hired the pool. I apologise to the lady concerned and wish to assure the public that we will look into this incident.”