OVER 50 people turned out for the Trebarwith New Year’s Day swim, with people making a dash for the bitterly cold sea in their swimsuits and trunks.

Organised by the team behind Tintagel Surf Life Saving Club, the event started out as a fun event for club members in the early days, according to the Tintagel Surf Life Saving Club chairman, Les Freke.

He said: “It started out just as a fun event for club members. Sometimes we’d have it on Boxing Day, New Year’s Day — it changes every year because we’ve got to work with the tides. Now it’s become something for holiday makers, friends and family to come along to!”

The swim started at 11.30am on New Year’s Day, but, again, this is never ‘set’ because of the irregularity of the tides. Every year the swim changes in some way.

Les, as club chairman, stands on the beach and directs the participants to take their places.

He said: “There was a big turnout this year — between 50 or 60 people came along, and then family members came to watch and have some drinks. This isn’t a major fundraiser, but we do have the odd collecting boxes going around so people can drop a donation in if they wish.”

All donations were for Tintagel Surf Life Saving Club.

After everyone, donning their swimsuits, bikinis and swimming trunks, charged into the icy cold waters of Trebarwith, the participants, their friends and families headed over to the club house for a warmly received mulled wine and mince pie — a fantastic way to bring Christmas to an end.