Fancy dress swimmers take Christmas Day dip

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Trees-y does it for swimmers taking a dip as part of the Serpentine Swimming Club's traditional Christmas Day Peter Pan Cup race
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Swimmers in the Hyde Park event get ready to dip a toe - or more - in the lake's waters
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These Serpentine swimmers are enjoying a drink to celebrate Christmas and keep warm
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The swimmers at Boscombe beach in Dorset didn't pause for thought - unlike their canine companion, when it came to their Christmas Day dip
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It's a little bit bracing in the waters off Dorset for their festive swimmers
Image source, Philip Stoneman/BBC
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Grey weather didn't deter dippers at Budleigh Salterton in Devon
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These fancy dress swimmers were making a meal of their exercise ahead of the Macmillan Boscombe White Christmas Dip, in aid of Macmillan Caring Locally, at Boscombe Pier in Bournemouth, Dorset
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A trio of Santas step from the water at Boscombe Pier
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Reindeer? No, it's just the sea spray! These Dorset dippers went all out for their Christmas fun
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Just when you thought it was safe to go back into the water at Boscombe Pier...
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Swimmers in Hunstanton, Norfolk, celebrate braving the elements
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Day and knight: Fancy dress swimmers enter the sea at Hunstanton in Norfolk

25 December 2024

Turkeys, knights of old and even an oven were just some of the festive fancy dress choices by those taking part in outdoor swims on Christmas Day.

Plucky bathers took to the sea off Dorset, Devon and Norfolk as well as the Serpentine lake for the traditional Peter Pan Cup race in London's Hyde Park.

Sea surface temperatures across the country were between 8C and 11C, the Met Office said.

The race in the capital is believed to be the world's oldest continuously contested swimming competition, having been run since 1864.

It has been associated with the author JM Barrie since 1903, when he donated the Peter Pan Cup.

Luke Belfield, who is training to become the first person with arthritis to swim the English Channel, said: "It's a community, there's still people in there, they're so friendly, so vibrant, so lovely.

"It was actually quite mild, but I am starting to shiver a little bit."

Katy Irving, who was taking part for the third time, said dealing with the cold got easier the more times you did it.

"Your body gets used to it," she added.

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