Despite the icy temperatures brave Brits went for a dip on Christmas Day (Picture: PA)
Brave Brits up and down the country braved icy cold waters to enjoy a festive Christmas Day dip.
The traditional swim has become even more popular over the last few years with some clubs hosting special events on December 25.
When others are sipping on mimosas and opening presents thousands of Brits dived in for a cold water awakening to brush off any Christmas Eve hangovers.
Lots of people got in the Christmas spirit and donned Santa hats and tinsel along with their swimming costumes.
Hardy swimmers could be seen taking a dip in festive hats and costumes in The Serpentine, in London’s Hyde Park, early on Sunday morning.
Members of the club took part in the Peter Pan Cup 100-yard race at 9am, which has been held every Christmas Day since 1864.
Some were dressed as Christmas elves, while others donned Santa hats.
The name of the race comes from 1904, when author and playwright Sir James Barrie presented the first ‘Peter Pan’ cup to the winner.
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Swimmers took part in the Blackroot Pool Xmas day swim at Sutton Park in Birmingham (Picture: PA)
Fancy dress was on the cards for those taking part in the Macmillan Boscombe White Christmas Dip, in aid of Macmillan Caring Locally, at Boscombe Pier (Picture: PA)
Some swimmers dressed as elves (Picture: PA)
Festive coloured swimming caps and onesies helped to keep swimmers warm (Picture: Rex)
A woman dressed as Mrs Claus made a splash on the south coast (Picture: PA)
Hundreds of people braved the cold in Boscombe (Picture: Alamy Live News.)
It was the perfect way to brush off any Christmas Day cobwebs (Picture: PA)
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This was the first time the trophy deviated from being a gold medal.
Incidentally, 1904 was the same year that Barrie’s play, Peter Pan, made its debut on the London stage. It was published as a novel in 1929 about a little boy who never grew up.
Meanwhile, people in Tynemouth, in the north east, wore bikinis, swimming shorts and Father Christmas hats as they entered the sea at King Edward’s Bay.
Temperatures at around 8am were 6C in northern parts of the country, while it was slightly warmer in the south at 10C, the Met Office said.
Some of those at Boscombe beach in Dorset also wore fancy dress while taking their early morning dips in a swim that raises money for Macmillan Caring Locally.
Meanwhile, in Birmingham, Blackroot Pool in Sutton Park hosted dozens of swimmers.
Along the south coast hundreds of people – many in festive fancy dress costumes – splashed in icy waters for charity.
Members of the Serpentine Swimming Club taking part in the Peter Pan Cup race, which is held every Christmas Day at the Serpentine, in central London (Picture: PA)
The Christmas Day swim at King Edward’s Bay, Tynemouth in the north east (Picture: PA)
Santa and his wife joined in despite having lots of presents to deliver (Picture: PA)
Ooft that looks chilly (Picture: PA)
These swimmers had cleary been avoiding the mince pies and booze during the festive period (Picture: PA)
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Swimmers raised money for various charities as they entered the North Sea in Felixstowe, Lowestoft and Southwold.
The dips had not taken place over recent years due to a combination of the Covid pandemic and extreme weather.
Organisers of the Lowestoft event praised the hundreds who took part and the large crowds that looked on.
The Everyone Active 2022 Lowestoft Christmas Day Swim – the 43rd time the event has been held – raised money for the James Paget Charity Trust, the Lowestoft Volunteer Lifeguard Corps, Lowestoft Lions, Dementia UK, St John Ambulance and the Brian Gallagher Football Fund.
The Felixstowe dip – the 18th time it has been held – was in aid of St Elizabeth Hospice, while the Southwold event raised funds for the Southwold RNLI, the Klondyke Skate Park project and the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
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Thousands of swimmers across the UK took a dip on Christmas Day to blow off any festive hangovers.
