Dozens of hardy swimmers plunged into freezing waters across the UK on Christmas Day morning, continuing beloved festive traditions despite chilly temperatures. Members of the Serpentine Swimming Club held their annual Peter Pan Cup race in London's Hyde Park, while swimmers also braved the sea at Cullercoats Bay in North Tyneside. Scores of people also took the plunge at Blackroot Pool in Sutton Coldfield, Birmingham.
The Serpentine Swimming Club has held the Peter Pan Cup race every year since 1864, making it the world's oldest continuous swimming race, the club says. Participants competed in the 100-yard course, with some wearing fancy dress including Father Christmas and Rudolph costumes.
Swimming for a cause
At Cullercoats Bay, where temperatures reached 7°C, participant Dan Wales-Hart took part as part of a challenge to complete a dozen dips throughout December. He is raising money for Prostate Cancer Research after his father was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
Dan Wales-Hart told Chronicle Live, "I'm doing it to help him out and all the men affected by prostate cancer." The charity aims to "create a future where prostate cancer no longer threatens lives."
Festive atmosphere
After their swims, participants at Cullercoats Bay huddled in large coats and enjoyed hot drinks before heading home for presents and turkey dinners. The increasingly popular festive tradition sees swimmers don Santa hats as a unique way to kick off Christmas celebrations.
At Cullercoats Bay, the weather stayed dry with no snow reported. Swimmers wore swimsuits and festive attire, demonstrating the widespread appeal of this annual Christmas Day observance.
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
