Santa hat-wearing swimmers take the Boxing Day plunge for charity

Dozens of swimmers braved the chilly waves this Boxing Day all in the name of charity.

Cheered on by hundreds of well-wishers, people of all ages took the plunge on the Suffolk coast.

It is the 30th year the Aldeburgh swim has gone ahead, an annual event which has raised thirty thousand pounds for various charities over that time.

This year's event is expected to raise more than three thousand pounds, and the money will be divided between the RNLI, Doctors Without Borders, East Anglia's Children's Hospice, and the Make A Wish Foundation.

The event was started in 1988 by local GP Dr Kev Hopayian to raise money for the victims of the earthquake which had devastated Armenia earlier that year.

In the early days, just half a dozen or so swimmers would turn up on the beach to brave the waves before retiring to warm up with a hot drink in one of the local hotels or pubs.

Now, there are a lot more swimmers joining the tradition, and this year The White Lion Pub provided the safe haven for the cold water dippers, providing hot chocolates and snacks after the swim.

Swimmers are asked to give a donation of ten pounds, and there are also buckets where people watcjing can donate during the swim.

Organisers ask that you either take the dip in, or chip in.