AN EXHIBITION featuring women skinny dipping in the sea is being held at a Newport arts house.

Barnabas Arts House, based on New Ruperra Street, has been hosting the 'THIS IS ME / happy in my skin!' exhibition since earlier this month.

The exhibition aims to empower women and celebrate the concept of positive body-activism

A spokesman from the arts house said: "This exhibition of images by visual artist, Leah Crossley, is an exhilarating, joyous celebration of the female form, wondrous individualities, community and sisterhood.

"It presents women of all ages and relationships (grandmothers, mothers, sisters, friends, partners) who took to the water for the inaugural THIS IS ME / happy in my skin all-female skinny-dip last September, rising to the challenge of 'baring all' and embracing the concept of positive body-activism."

Ellen Groves, who took part in the skinny dip, said: "The Happy In My Skin Dip has changed my quality of life. I was in a hate hate relationship with my body. "After the dip I looked at my naked body in the mirror and didn’t hate it. This has never happened before. Leah's images take me back to the day and that feeling of being 10ft tall and I feel very proud indeed."

THIS IS ME / happy in my skin was founded in 2014 by artist, Hazel Anderson, as a creative and active response to the current debate about body-image and body-confidence. Ms Anderson has been on her own, personal journey to reclaim her body-confidence and has supported her mum with her journey through breast cancer, and her body-confidence following chemotherapy and a mastectomy.

The display will run until next Friday, July 31.