A CHRISTMAS tradition which boasts being one of the south coast’s oldest has seen threats from the council in recent years due to safety fears.

Yet, fearless as ever, dozens of Brightonians continue to take a Christmas Day dip in the English Channel – despite the best efforts from the local authority.

Taking place almost annually from 1860, the swim initially began under the guidance of the city’s swimming club.

Members would take their daily morning swim in the sea, prompting residents to follow suit.

The event grew to become one of the UK’s most recognisable Christmas events, with pictures of brave swimmers splashed across many Boxing Day papers including, of course, The Argus.

However, after a swimmer got into difficulty in 2014, the council has raised concerns over the event, discouraging swimmers by taping off the section of beach front around the Palace Pier.

Due to the water temperature, which currently sits at around seven degrees, a swimmer’s body temperature can drop as much as two degrees within minutes, posing huge risks as people can quickly develop the onset of hypothermia.

Often around 30 swimmers and 3,000 spectators turn up on the seafront, with many dressing in Santa costumes.

Our photographs today see members in the snow in December 1967 braving the cold for a swim, just as they did in 1963.

A chilly-looking swimmer is also seen receiving a cup from the mayor of Brighton in 1980, however it is unclear whether this was taken at this time of year.

An unusual Boxing Day tradition in Pagham is the pram race which was first held in 1988.

It looks like quite a silly tradition as people dress up and sit in the pram while another pushes them.

Do any of our readers know if the race still takes place today?