Couple brave chilly sea dip for Yorkshire Cancer Research

A Yorkshire couple took part in a Christmas Day cold water dip to raise funds for Yorkshire Cancer Research.

Doctor Kayleigh Smithson and her husband Nick braved the December seas and raised £250 to help support world-leading research.

“It was absolutely freezing,” said Kayleigh. “It’s a tradition that we do every year, but this time it was really cold and choppy.”

The couple have taken part in the Christmas Day dip at Caerhays since moving to Cornwall from Yorkshire eight years ago.

Kayleigh said: “We’ve both lost family members in Yorkshire to cancer, so it felt important to raise money for Yorkshire Cancer Research.

“My family carry a gene called BRCA which increases the risk of cancer, so research is something that’s very important to us.”

Every year, Kayleigh and Nick choose a fancy dress costume to complete the dip in. This year, along with others who braved the waves, the couple dressed up as a Christmas dinner, and costumes included parsnips, carrots and a turkey leg.

Kayleigh continued: “Despite how cold it was, it is so worth it to help raise funds for such an important cause.”