Hundreds gathered to cheer on about 60 swimmers who plunged into the English Channel for a traditional Christmas Day dip.

Spectators lined Brighton beach as swimmers aged from 11 to 65 took to the cold surf next to the Palace Pier.

Members of Brighton Swimming Club, which has organised the swim since it was founded in 1860, made up much of the contingent.

However, a few intrepid spectators were persuaded to join in, bolstering the numbers compared with other years.

Chairman John Ottaway said conditions were some of the best he had seen, with sunny skies, a relatively calm sea, and a water temperature of 8.2C (47F) .

He said: "A lot of people just get in and get out again straight away but the people used to going in all year round can stay in for up to a quarter of an hour."