Come on in, the water's freezing

Cold water swimming champion Laura Nesbitt braves the water at Clevedon Credit: Brad Wakefield

A dip in freezing water may sound an unappealing, possibly mad prospect but the Beast from the East hasn't stopped these brave outdoor swimmers.

Cold water swimming champion Laura Nesbitt took a dip in the water at Clevedon this morning. It was minus 3 degrees in the Marine Lake but she didn't seem to mind.

Laura was due to swim a Channel Solo in July 2015, but due to a shoulder injury swam a relay instead. Since then she has competed at the UK’s Cold Water Championships - winning 2 golds.

In Cornwall, a wild swimming group known as the Battery Belles and Buoys gather for a swim off the Battery Rocks in Penzance every day at 11am. The current freezing conditions hasn't put them off. They go swimming all year round and there is never a wetsuit in sight, regardless of how cold it is.

The Battery Belles and Buoys swim every day at 11am Credit: Denise Gent

Membership of the UK’s Outdoor Swimming Society has grown by 30 per cent a year since it was founded in 2006, and now has 25,000 members. Wild swimming - in lakes, rivers and the sea - has become a year-round lifestyle embraced by thousands.

Members of the Battery Belles and Buoys swimming at Marazion Credit: Denise Gent

The extremely cold winter conditions has led to an ice extravaganza on some beaches. Lisa from Cornwall tweeted a picture of icicles hanging down from the cliff face at Gwithian Beach.

Watch the swimmers in action: