For many people, Boxing Day is a time for nursing hangovers, making Turkey sandwiches with the previous day's leftovers or snuggling up on the sofa while passing around another tin of chocolates. But dozens of hardy swimmers swapped these festive comforts for something a little more extreme.
Instead, they headed to Sale Water Park for a cold water swim, where the water temperature was less than 5C. Some wore wet suits to try and stay as warm as possible, but others chose more festive and arguably foolhardy outfits.
Lisa Wormleighton and four friends all went for a dip in the water dressed just in Christmas themed bikinis. Lisa said that she'd previously been cold water swimming before in the summer months, but decided to test herself in more extreme conditions.
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After her dip in the wintry water, she described experiencing a 'burning, tingling' sensation. Her friend Becky Nicholson said: "It was very, very cold - but once we were in it was exhilarating.
"There was a definite sense of calm. The breathing was really helpful that they gave us." Their bravery was all in aid of a worthy cause. Lisa and her friends are raising money for Springhill Hospice in Rochdale, after her late mother passed away there recently.
The session was organised by instructor Jane McCormick, who advises on the benefits of cold water swimming. She said some of the proceeds from the event will be donated to mental health charity Manchester Mind.
"Cold water swimming is brilliant for improving mental health, so we see there's a connection there," she said. "It can be daunting and quite scary.
"You'll see lots of smiling faces and people are having a great time, but the thing about getting into cold water is you have an element of cold water shock. So I would always suggest if you haven't done something like this before, to do an instructed session like this.
"But it is exhilarating, your body produces loads more endorphins and dopamine, which is a great feel good hormone, so really it's a massive natural high."
Donations for Springhill Hospice can be made here.
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