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Swimmers brave cold North Sea for Boxing Day dips

BBC A man is wearing a knitted Viking hat and is bare chested. He has tattoos on both arms and is smiling broadly. He is standing next to a woman who is wearing a black bathing suit and Santa hat with her thumbs up. There are dippers in the waves behind them. BBC
Blyth dippers took to the water to raise money for good causes

Hardy swimmers braved the North Sea for the annual Boxing Day dips.

At England's most northerly beach, at Spittal, Berwick-upon-Tweed, hundreds turned out for a brief dip in the chilly waters.

Canon Alan Hughes, master of ceremony, said many people were raising money for charity, with Berwick Lifeboat and Coastguard crews on hand to keep everyone safe.

Julie Butler said she and her friend, Joanne Dodds, had organised the event at Blyth beach in Northumberland for the last seven years and she loved the community's "enthusiasm" for the event.

Alan Hughes Dozens of people on the sand at Berwick, many in shorts. Some are wearing Santa hats as they prepare to run into the sea. Alan Hughes
Hundreds of people took part in the annual Boxing Day dip at Spital in Berwick-upon-Tweed

She said money raised at this year's event was being donated to the Motor Neurone Disease (MND) Association.

"We love organising the event and the community are really enthusiastic," she said.

"We do it for local charities and to help people like Joe Chestock, a young man from my estate who was paralysed while out in Australia in April and has had to rebuild his life back in the UK.

"The turnout today has been amazing and I think the sun has helped a lot."

Sean and Julie Butler who is wearing a coat and jumper. Sean is wearing tinsel round his trunks and a Santa hat with goggles.
Blyth dip organiser Julie Butler, pictured with husband Sean, said she loved the community's "enthusiasm" for the event
Alan Hughes A cold looking dipper with their arms outstretched in the water wearing a long red lobster costume. Alan Hughes
A dipper in a lobster costume braves the cold sea in Berwick

Hundreds also took the plunge at Newbiggin-by-the-Sea in Northumberland, Longsands beach in Tynemouth, Seaburn in Sunderland and Little Haven in South Shields.

Mrs Butler added: "The feeling when you get into the water is amazing, you dread it but it makes you feel euphoric.

"You get out there and back and you feel a sense of warmth because everyone has done it as a team and it's brilliant."

Dippers in yellow and white costumes embrace in the water. There are dozens behind them up to their waists in water.
Dippers braced the waves at Longsands beach at Tynemouth
Alan Hughes Piper Andrew Smith is standing on the sand at the water's edge playing his bagpipes. He is wearing tartan and a santa hat. There are dozens of people behind him taking snaps of the dippers in the water. Alan Hughes
Piper Andrew Smith played the dippers into the chilly sea at Berwick-upon-Tweed

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