Skip to content

Festive swimmers brave the cold for Christmas Eve dip

PA Media A man on the left is wearing red swim shorts and a red and white Santa hat. A girl in the middle has a dark coloured swimming costume on and is holding hands with a woman on the right who is kicking the sea water up. They are all smiling.PA Media
PA Media Rebecca, left, is wearing a navy swimming costume and red and white Santa hat, she has her arm up in the air. She is holding hands with Joel, right, who has patterned swimming shorts n and a red and white Santa hat.PA Media
People take part in the annual Christmas Eve swim at Helen's Bay, Co Down, in aid of local charities
Rebecca Browne and Joel McElwee were among the hardy souls

Dozens of swimmers braved the cold on Christmas Eve morning for the annual festive sea swim at Helen's Bay in County Down.

Every year people plunge into Belfast Lough to raise money for local charities.

The bay is a popular swimming spot all year round, but the 24 December tradition is always guaranteed to attract big crowds.