Plucky swimmers start Christmas Day with a dip in the sea

Christmas Day swimmers emerge from the sea at Brompton in Bangor (Rebecca Black/PA)

A host of plucky swimmers across Ireland started their Christmas Day with a chilly dip in the sea.

The water temperature in Belfast Lough was estimated to be around seven degrees and choppy waves greeted the Brompton Belles and Beaux as they braved the dip in Bangor, Co Down.