In Pictures: Plucky bathers take a Christmas dip

Hardy swimmers, including many in fancy dress, started Christmas Day around the UK and Ireland with an outdoor swim.

Although Wednesday was forecast to be “dry and cloudy” with no snow or frost likely, temperatures from locations including the Dorset and Norfolk coasts, the Serpentine pond in London and a Dublin yacht club meant it was a bracing dip for those who took to the water.

Swimmers take part in an early Christmas Day dip on Boscombe beach in Dorset (Andrew Matthews/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Andrew Matthews

A dog in a Christmas jumper was happy to join the swimmers (Andrew Matthews/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Andrew Matthews

Some members of the Serpentine Swimming Club were in fancy dress for the Peter Pan Cup race, which is held every Christmas Day in Hyde Park, central London (Yui Mok/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Yui Mok

Refreshments were shared by those who had braved the chilly waters of the central London park (Yui Mok/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Yui Mok

People take part in the Clontarf Yacht and Boat Club annual charity Christmas swim in Dublin in aid of the RNLI (Brian Lawless/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Brian Lawless

Sean Mulligan (left) and Jill Owens ensured their 10-week-old daughter Maisie Mulligan was well wrapped up to watch her father swim at Clontarf (Brian Lawless/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Brian Lawless

People take part in a Christmas Day dip at Hunstanton in Norfolk (Joe Giddens/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Joe Giddens

Dasher and Prancer, two swimmers in reindeer costumes run for the waves in Norfolk (Joe Giddens/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Joe Giddens

Out of the water, running, cycling and other modes of exercise were popular before people settled down for Christmas dinner.

Runners on the start line at the Christmas Day Parkrun on the Stormont Estate in Belfast as the event broke its attendance record with 788 finishers (David Young/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - David Young

People cycling in Hyde Park on Christmas morning (Yui Mok/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Yui Mok

A woman rollerblades through central London (Yui Mok/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Yui Mok

Meanwhile in Norfolk, members of the royal family thanked well-wishers who queued to see them walk to church for the Christmas Day service at Sandringham, and some fans camped overnight to catch a glimpse of the King and Queen and Kate and William.

The King and Queen attend the Christmas Day service in Sandringham with the Princess of Wales, Prince Louis, Princess Charlotte, the Prince of Wales and Prince George walking behind them (Aaron Chown/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Aaron Chown

The Princess of Wales speaks to people after the Christmas Day church service at St Mary Magdalene Church in Sandringham (Aaron Chown/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Aaron Chown

Pomeranians Peanut and Coco were waiting to see the royal family at Sandringham (Aaron Chown/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Aaron Chown

A young boy in a crown watches over the heads of the crowd gathered for the Christmas Day morning church service at Sandringham (Aaron Chown/PA)PA Wire/PA Images - Aaron Chown