More than 550 Boxing Day bathers have taken the traditional festive plunge in Tenby..

The event, taking to the water for the 37th year in succession, attracted thousands of spectators who poured into the town and lined every viewpoint overlooking the North Beach.

This year's fancy dress theme of 'Children's Favourites' saw Hagrid, Noddy, Robin Hood, Snow White and Three Blind Mice amongst the dippers. Others decided that the temperature of 10 degrees was positively tropical after the previous week's wind-chill, and opted to take to the water in bikinis and bathing costumes.

Raft, canoe, longboat and sailing races preceded the stampede of swimmers for the sea, with Tenby's inshore and all-weather lifeboats launching to greet the brave bathers. There was also a flying visit from a Sea King helicopter, out on exercise from RAF Chivenor.

Commemorative medals were presented to all participants around a warming bonfire.

The Tenby Boxing Day Swim is sponsored by FBM Holidays and organised by the Tenby Sea Swimming Asssociation (TSSA). Said TSSA chairman Chris Osborne: "The weather was excellent, and we welcomed a fantastic turnout of swimmers and a massive crowd of spectators, who all contributed to that special Tenby Boxing Day Swim atmosphere."

The headline charities for the swim are the Gareth Scotcher Trust Fund - raising money for a young Tenby father with Motor Neurone Disease; the Paul Sartori Foundation 'Hospice at Home', Diabetes UK and Macmillan Cancer Support. Over the years, the event has raised around £160,000 for charity.