HUNDREDS of barmy bathers have created over £10,000 of serious fundraising by taking part in the 2014 Tenby Boxing Day Swim.

The legendary event, with a Pirates and Princesses fancy dress theme, saw dippers taking to the waves in right royal style.

Despite the wet and cold conditions, there were 365 bravery medals given away and a total of £10,250 raised for local, national and international charities and good causes.

This takes the total raised in the swim’s 44-year history to over £250,000.

The group topping the fundraisers were members and friends of Skanda Vale, who raised £2,289 towards their new six-bedroomed hospice which will be the only inpatient facility of its kind for Pembrokeshire, Carmarthenshire and Ceredigion.

Swim organisers, Tenby Sea Swimming Association (TSSA)’s three nominated charities were the Harriet Davis Trust, Splash Out 2015 and St John Cymru.

St John, who is one of the organisations that provides safety cover at the swim, received £700, which will be used to maintain the divisional ambulance and buy new equipment.

Splash Out, which is a surf experience project for children in Pembrokeshire with autism, was given £600, while the Harriet Davis Trust, which has holiday properties in south Pembrokeshire for disabled children and their families, received £100, in addition to a boost of several hundred pounds from its own sponsored swimmers.

There was also £50 each for Tenby Coastguard, Pembrokeshire Paddlers and Tenby Sea Cadets, who led the bonfire builders.

A highlight of last year’s event was the Daitanic Raft Race, in memory of Dai Rees of Saundersfoot, who loved taking part in the event.

The swim was sponsored by FBM Holidays, Lewis & Lewis, Princes Gate Water and Oakwood.

TSSA also organises The Caldey Swim, which last year saw 100 swimmers raising £7,000 for TenbR RNLI. This year’s swim is due to take place on Sunday, August 2.