HUNDREDS of fearless souls braved Arctic conditions to take part in a Boxing Day North Sea plunge.
And two Olympic swimmers joined the annual Nippy Dip at Aberdeen Beach.
More than 100 hardy participants raised cash by running into the icy waters with silver Olympic medallist Keri-Anne Payne, 22, and her boyfriend gold medallist David Carry, 27.
After the dip David’s dad Peter Carry, 57, said: “It was great fun, absolutely wonderful.
“Aberdeen Lions Club has done so well in putting together this annual event.”
Daughter Malena, 20, said: “It was fun but my feet are freezing. It was so cold.
“It was my dad’s idea for all of us to do the dip with him as he has done it before.”
Another intrepid dipper was Laura Jepp, 34, of Westhill, who took the plunge with friends. She said: “We all decided to do it and it was a lot of fun. The water was very, very cold though. We are all freezing, but it was worth it.”
The Salvation Army, CLAN (Cancer Link Aberdeen North), Grampian Haemophilia Group, WaterAid, Befriend a Child, NSPCC’s Childline charity and the British Heart Foundation all benefited from the event. Aberdeen Lions dip co-ordinator Chris Southworth, said: “We have been doing this for about 18 years and each year it has grown in popularity.”
Aberdeen’s Lord Provost Peter Stephen, who led the dippers onto the beach, will hand over the money at a reception at the Town House.
arennie@ajl.co.uk