By Anne Pickles

Last updated at 13:39, Wednesday, 12 December 2012

The water may have been frozen over but the sun was shining, the sky was blue, so it was obviously a great morning for ice lollies and a swim... in Whitehaven Harbour.

Andy Slone, Gary McKeating and John O’Brian in the harbour

They breed them tough in west Cumbria. Gary McKeating, head of stakeholder engagement at Nuclear Management Partners Ltd, had no bother at all gathering a couple of friends for a bracing dip, even though yesterday’s air temperature – never mind the water’s – struggled to rise above 2C.

And the worst was yet to come. The swim was a practice run for colder exploits at the end of the month.

The swim was to promote a repeat performance in a New Year’s Eve Charity dip.

“We were in the water at 10.30am for five minutes or so,” said Gary. “I started to feel my toes just after lunch.”

Anyone wanting to join these (fool) hardy souls for their charity swim on December 31 should meet at 10am at the harbour – Speedos at the ready – and be prepared for a Baltic blast.

First published at 13:35, Wednesday, 12 December 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk