THOUSANDS GET 2018 OFF TO A BRACING START:
THOUSANDS of people braved a chilly start to 2018 weather to blow out the cobwebs with a New Year’s Day swim.
As temperatures stayed below a chilly 10°C, hordes of people gathered along the Welsh coast on the first day of the year to take a dip in the sea.
At Barry Island organisers celebrated their biggest swim yet as thousands flocked to the beach in their best fancy dress.
More than 500 people entered the water to raise money for the Headfirst brain tumour campaign at Velindre Cancer Care in Cardiff.
Returning for its 33rd year, more than 1,000 people gathered to watch hardy souls dressed as mermaids, storm troopers and Daleks run into the water.
The swim, which was preceded by a 5km Parkrun on the beach, originally started when five members of the Jacksons Bay Lifeguard Club decided to shake off their hangovers with a bracing dip.
Their only rule was that they had to completely submerge themselves three times – a tradition still followed by some today.
Organiser Rob Salter said: “It was probably the biggest swim we’ve had so far. There were thousands and thousands of spectators – it was absolutely bouncing.
Mr Salter, 53, added: “There weather was perfect. At half past 10 the rain stopped and the sun came out.”
Across the country others stripped off to run into the chilly waters.
In Saundersfoot thousands gathered for one of the biggest New Year’s Day swims in the UK following a fancy dress horse race and mass warm-up dance.
In Abersoch, Gwynedd, this year’s theme was musicals following the success of its Pirates of Penrhyn Llyn dip last year to raise money for the RNLI.
Meanwhile, in Amroth, swimmers donned their best wizard hats and cloaks to celebrate 20 years since the release of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. The event, which raised money for locals children’s charity Amelie’s Rainbow, follows a Dan Biggar theme last year – complete with a line-out in the sea.
Keeping with tradition at Newport Boat Club in Parrog, Pembrokeshire, the mayor led the crowds into the freezing waters of the Parrog estuary.
New Year swims were also held in the picturesque Porthdinllaen peninsula in north Wales and the popular Whitesands surfing beach in Pembrokeshire.