A dozen swimmers had to be pulled from the sea yesterday after an abortive Christmas Day attempt to swim around Brighton pier was hit by heavy seas, above.

Brighton Swimming Club abandoned the traditional swim after 8ft waves and 30mph winds battered the pier. Hundreds of people ignored warnings of the most dangerous weather to hit the event for decades.

Paul Smith, of Brighton Swimming School, was one of the rescuers. He said: %u201CWe did 12 rescues altogether. One man in his sixties was bashed down by a wave completely and went right under, but me and a friend managed to scoop him up. The wave then squashed us both and we lost him . . . he popped up again beside me. He was very upset %u2013 he%u2019d had a close shave."

(Via Twelve rescued as high winds and huge waves hit annual pier swim - Times Online: .)

| outdoor swimming | 27 December 2007; 1:10:06 AM |# | | Discuss |

"Call me strange, but plunging headfirst into the near-freezing, muddy waters of a London pond for a traditional Christmas morning swim with dozens of other thrill seekers was high on my holiday wish list.

However, nothing can prepare you for the shock of diving into the cold, dank water for the first time.

'Waiting to dive into the cold water offers a similar trepidation to going off on a military operation,' said former British air force pilot Alan Lacy, 84, who first signed up for the race 60 years ago."

(Via London swimmers take Yuletide plunge in one of world's oldest swimming races - International Herald Tribune: .)

| outdoor swimming | 27 December 2007; 1:05:33 AM |# | | Discuss |