Hundreds dive in for Boxing Day dip

HUNDREDS swapped their Christmas jumpers for swimming gear on Boxing Day to take part in a festive dip at the National Lido of Wales.

Returning again after last year’s success, 700 people took part in a Christmas swim at Lido Ponty on December 26.

With tickets selling out well ahead of the day, families from as far as Leeds turned up from 8.30am to burn off some energy and celebrate the holidays at the outdoor swimming pool.

It marks the biggest Boxing Day swim at the lido yet, compared to 500 swimmers in 2016, and 250 in 2015.

While the Met Office issued a yellow weather warning for rain and snow, water temperatures at the £6.3m National Lido of Wales stayed at a toasty 28 degrees.

Visitors were also treated to a festive hot chocolate and mince pies to keep warm in the popular family tourist attraction in Ynysangharad War Memorial

Pictures from the day show young and old enjoying the hour-long sessions with many sporting Santa hats along with their swimming costumes.

The annual event follows after the lido celebrated its 90th birthday in August by holding a bumper swimming session.

Tuesday marked the last opportunity Park, Pontypridd. today for visitors to attend the pool this year after welcoming more than 170,000 visitors since reopening in August 2015.

First opened in 1927, it was shut in 1991 in need of major restoration work.

More than 20 years later, it has now returned to its former popularity after being reopened by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall.