Players take part in the World Strip Poker Championship in London last Saturday. Up to 200 strip poker players competed to see who would lose their shirts - and more - and who would scoop £10,000 by retaining their clothes and modesty. - REUTERS

LONDON, (Reuters):

The new World Strip Poker Champion who beat nearly 200 other players celebrated winning the £10,000 ($18,860) prize by removing his remaining clothes, thus securing a further £10,000 for charity.

John Young, a 32-year-old freelance writer from Slough, a town just west of London, secured victory after an eight-hour competition involving both men and women from 12 countries, organisers Paddy Power said on Sunday.

Trousers dropped

"We said we would give £10,000 to Cancer Research if John dropped his trousers at the end of the match and he duly obliged," a spokesman for the Irish bookmaker said.

The contest was held on Saturday in the prestigious Cafe Royal in central London.

Aside from strict rules governing the poker play, there were clear guidelines on the stripping element, most importantly that each player started the match by wearing five items of clothing supplied by the organisers.

Each contestant was given a towel to sit on and to cover themselves when naked, but only after they had stripped completely.