Valentine's Day dip raises £40,000 for hospice

About 200 people have braved the winter temperatures and run into the North Sea off the Suffolk Coast, in aid of a local hospice.

Felixstowe's rescheduled Christmas Day sea dip, for St Elizabeth Hospice in Ipswich, took place on the morning of Valentine's Day after originally being cancelled by bad weather.

Ellie Main, from the hospice, called the dip a "local tradition" for the region, adding that a "significant" £40,000 had been raised so far.

Emma and Gary came along with 10-year-old Millie from Ipswich, for their first winter dip. The family said they were "excited" and hoped to support the hospice that had cared for some family members.

Elsewhere on the beach, Emma Lockwood, from Ipswich, was joined by her sister Sian, who travelled from Wales.

"I am doing this in aid of my friend who died six years ago, and the hospice looked after him and his wife and child. We were doing it on Christmas Day, but it was cancelled," Lockwood said.

Her sister added: "We were coming for the rugby, and this happened to be on the same day, so why not? I would do it again... it was so much fun, but I can't find my hands and legs."

Another daring dipper, Amanda Clinch from Bury St Edmunds, said she came every year to support the cause.

"The atmosphere is brilliant. It [the sea] was quite rough and a few people fell down, but everyone survived."

Main said originally 400 people had signed up for December's event, which had been going for 21 years.

However, many people have since donated to the hospice instead.

"We are so grateful that so many people have supported it when we had to move," she said.

"To give you a context, to run the hospice over the Valentine's weekend it would have costed more than £20,000 if our ward was full.

"So, the difference that this money makes is hard to put into words. The number of people who could be supported through that money is incredible and it's a key event for us."

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