THE Times, a newspaper that for many years had a reputation for staid presentation, has recalled the time it first carried a nude photo – at the instigation of Margaret Datta of Joyford.

In 1971 Margaret, who still lives in Joyford with her husband David, worked for The Times in London selling advertising space, and on one call to fertiliser company Fisons she was asked by the boss what to put on a full-page advertisement.

"Just make a big splash to get your name known," she said, and as a result Brighton model Vivien Neves became the first woman to appear nude in a British broadsheet newspaper.

The edition sold out – and not everyone was scandalised. "I hope this delightful picture has the same effect on The Times' circulation as it haves on mine," wrote one enthusiastic reader.

Vivien Neves, later nicknamed 'The Body', went on to star in TV's The Persuaders before 'retiring' as a housewife. She then suffered from the onset of multiple sclerosis and died in hospital at the age of 55 after apparently contracting the superbug MRSA.