Ananova:

France's best-known mercenary soldier of the last 50 years has changed careers and is now running a nudist camp, according to reports.

Colonel Bob Denard, dubbed L'Affreux (The Terrible) - is best known in France for running guns in Biafra, helping to mount coups in the Comoros Islands and killing terrorists in Morocco.

One naturist told the Liberation: "He may not be prancing around with his private parts in the air but he's involved in it all right.

"He's thick as thieves with the managing director and half the staff are now ex-special forces soldiers who sit around discussing their favourite wars. It's not good for the atmosphere."

Reports say the 71-year-old's partners at the Centre Helio-Marin at Montalivet in the south-west of the country are local businessman Didier Vacher and Christian Philippo.

Mr Denard has denied involvement. He said: "I live down there, I was born there and since I was a little kid I have gone swimming there. I know the new owners, but I see them only because they want to make a film about me. Can you really imagine me as a nudist?"