Thomas Mackintoshand
Jonathan Josephs,Hyde Park
Watch: Swimmers brave the Serpentine for chilly Christmas dip
A cold health alert and weather warnings have been issued for parts of the UK on Christmas Day, as forecasters dashed hopes of a white Christmas.
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issued the yellow alert for south-west England from 18: 00 on 25 December to midday on 27 December.
A Met Office yellow warning for wind covers south-west England, Somerset and a large swathe of Wales, stretching from Cardiff and Swansea up to Bangor. Gusts hit 68mph (109 km/h) early on Thursday at Berry Head, Torbay.
Organisers of some Christmas and Boxing Day swims in Devon and Cornwall have had to cancel events.
Other swimming events still took place.
Around 400 swimmers entered the chilly water at The Serpentine in London’s Hyde Park, with around 100 competing in the annual Peter Pan Cup race.
Dave Bill, who took the trophy home this year, told the BBC it was a “real honour” to win, adding: “Swimming in the cold water is one of the most rewarding things. It calms my nervous system.”
Mr Bill said it was a “real honour” to win a race that traces its roots back to 1864
In sout
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