Dozens of swimmers beat efforts to prevent Christmas Day dip
Dozens of swimmers went for a Christmas Day dip despite efforts to prevent the annual tradition from taking place.
A group of swimmers braved the chilly water on Hove seafront although one said that it was the warmest Christmas Day in recent memory.
A video of more than 30 people in a relatively calm sea was posted on Twitter by @ArtroomBrighton – the hashtag of Artroom Brighton, an art school for 6 to 16-year-olds run by art teacher and occasional film-maker Sebastian Dewing.
#hove #now #respect pic.twitter.com/OME0cSPdH0
— Artroom Brighton (@ArtroomBrighton) December 25, 2016
Before Christmas, Brighton and Hove City Council said: “The council will once again be taking extra measures to discourage swimmers from taking a Christmas Day dip by closing access to the beaches around Brighton Pier.”
But even closer to the centre of Brighton, groups and individuals kept up the long tradition of Christmas Day swimming despite the attempts of officials to deter them.
The council pointed out that at this time of year there are no beach lifeguards and that water temperatures can quickly bring on the onset of hypothermia.
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I saw lifeguards (quad bike, red gear) on the beach on Xmas day.
Well done to all the swimmers and supporters!