A BOLD woman is raising thousands of pounds for mental health by cycling around London completely naked.

Kerri Barnes, 25, cycled past London's Covent Garden, Tower Bridge and Buckingham Palace wearing nothing but glitter across her chest.

Braving the cold and prying eyes from strangers, she has so far raised an impressive £8,000 for Mind charity which experienced its largest ever increase in helpline calls during the nation's first lockdown.

Kerri, a partnerships manager for a tech start-up, felt compelled to act after seeing shocking mental health statistics and tragically losing her cousin to suicide.

Unsure how to raise money quickly with a second lockdown approaching, Kerri's flatmate jokingly suggested she cycle naked.

But she was shocked when Kerri took on the challenge and pledged to put a smile on people's faces by cycling around London completely starkers.

The Westmorland Gazette: Kerri Barnes is raising thousands of pounds for mental health by cycling around London completely naked Kerri Barnes is raising thousands of pounds for mental health by cycling around London completely naked

Kerri, from Fulham, west London, said: "I was sat on the sofa with my housemate and I said 'I really want to do a big fundraiser' but I wasn't sure what.

"Very jokingly, they said 'get on your bike naked then.' I don't think she expected me to go through with it but I did."

Tackling seven degree temperatures wearing nothing but a thong, Kerri cycled from the Natural History Museum to Tower Bridge on Sunday.

To prepare herself for the cold before cycling nude, Kerri took a few cold showers and had lunch in her bikini on the scaffolding outside her flat.

She said: "It was absolutely freezing but I had a lot of fun doing it.

"Being naked is quite a daunting thing when you're going out into one of the world's biggest cities so I thought I'd find myself some body confidence and cover my chest with glitter.

"It was about seven or eight degrees and it was very grey in the sky but I just went for it."

In just three weeks, Kerri's bold decision has paid off and she is overwhelmed with the positive response.

The cyclist has smashed her £1,000 fundraising target and has so far raised almost £8,000, with donations still coming in.