Friends from Devon defy freezing temperatures to go 'wild' swimming

• Watch Claire Manning's report

Two friends from Devon have been defying freezing temperatures to swim regularly in the River Dart near their homes in Devon.

Sophie Pierce and Rachel Dawson have formed a support bubble during the coronavirus pandemic and as part of their daily exercise together have taken to wild swimming.

And in temperatures barely above 0C, the intrepid duo take a dip in bitingly cold water on a regular basis.

Sophie said: "I often think, what am I doing? Why am I doing this? Especially when it is so cold but there is just something about getting in that water that makes you feel so alive."

A word of warning. If you are considering going wild swimming then you are advised to build up to it. Sophie and Rachel - resplendent in hats like this - swim all year and have been doing so for 20 years, so they're acclimatised.

Apart from each other, the only company Sophie and Rachel seemed to have on their swim are mandarin ducks, likely wondering what are those women doing?

Rachel says: "I can feel my skin is just really refreshed and revived and you just forget everything else going on."

In such low temperatures, their dip usually lasts just minutes.

Sophie says: "You just feel so alive and particularly today the sun and the beautiful colours and the light and the water is so clear - my toes are very, very cold now."