Over 650 excited Boxing Day bathers splashed out in the annual festive swim at Tenby yesterday (Tuesday).

The charity dip attracted huge crowds of spectators who thronged the North Beach and lined every vantage point.

This year's fancy dress theme of Comic Characters welcomed the Bash Street Kids, Smurfs and superheroes galore, with a guest appearance by none other than Donald Trump.

Calm weather conditions and a high tide ensured that the sea was as inviting as it could be in the winter, and the Tenby lifeboat was able to moor close to the shore to watch over the hordes of crazy bathers.

The swim has been organised for 47 years by the Tenby Sea Swimming Association, and this year has nominated the Harriet Davis Trust - which has holiday houses for disabled children and their families in the Tenby area - and Pembrokeshire foodbank charity PATCH as its charities.

Said swim chairman Chris Osborne: "The Tenby Boxing Day Swim is a legendary event and it never fails to disappoint. This year was one of the biggest swims ever, and the combination of the good weather - with the rain conveniently waiting until after everyone had got wet anyway - some extremely imaginative fancy dress and the relatively small beach added to the festive bonhomie.

"It's been another great morning."

  • See next week's Western Telegraph for lots more Tenby Boxing Day Swim news and pictures.