A COLOURFUL array of people in fancy dress headed to Boscombe beach for a Christmas Day swim in aid of charity.

The White Christmas Dip started four years ago after John White was diagnosed with cancer.

He received treatment at the Macmillan Caring Locally unit in Christchurch and dozens of swimmers, with many spectators looking on, turned up in weird and wonderful costumes to raise cash for the unit.

People of all ages turned out dressed as anything and everything, including Christmas outfits, tigers, bears, and characters from The Wizard of Oz. One of the organisers, Tommy Baker, said: “This is the fourth year now. It’s got bigger and bigger each year.

“It’s a way of meeting everyone on Christmas Day and getting out of the house for a couple of hours.

“Last year we raised £2,000 and hopefully this year it will be more.”

John added: “Macmillan were absolutely fantastic to us, I could not think more highly of them, so we do this every year to raise money for them. It’s great, it’s getting more each year.”

Swimmers ranged from toddlers to senior citizens.

One fundraiser, Bradley Moore, 13, was doing the event for the first time and drummed up £105 in sponsorship.