Saundersfoot beach was the place to be to welcome in the New Year in style!

A record 2067 swimmers braved the icy waters and thousands of spectators turned out for the 37th annual Saundersfoot New Year’s Day Swim in Pembrokeshire.

The charitable event just gets bigger and better – and as the gathered masses prepared for the big event they were entertained by the dancers from Cast & Crew Performing Art School who provided the warm-up, whilst the crowd provided a powerful rendition of ‘Rockin All Over the World’.

There was also a tribute to HM Queen Elizabeth II with bagpiper Michael Kelly playing. This was followed by a round of applause from the large crowd.

The swim countdown was initiated by ‘Star Of The Swim’ and birthday girl Eliza Wood and at 12 pm the swimmers were sent down the sands by a firework launch courtesy of Westcoast Fireworks.

The swimmers did not disappoint on the fancy dress front. In amongst the fancy dress entrants were a gaggle of Blue Macaws, Bo Peep and her Sheep and Cleopatra.

Saundersfoot Festivities Chairman Martyn Williams said: “The village and wider community has done us proud again. We could not have conceived 38 years ago we would be here now hosting such a major event.

“Our driving force as always is the huge number of fantastic causes that benefit. Thirty-eight years on and this event is getting bigger and better with thousands of pounds raised for charity.

“The people from Saundersfoot, the surrounding areas and even further a field have come out in force to support this marvellous event despite the weather.”

Fancy dress winners were as follows (with each member of the team winning a NYDS bobble hat prize)...

GROUPS: 1st - Little Bo Peep and her sheep (the Farmers from Carmarthen raising money for RABI).

2nd - Toy Story (Powell/ Williams/Phillips/Vaux/Dallys families from Caldicot raising money for SARA Severn Area Rescue Association).

3rd - Vivienne Westwood tribute (Simon and Jane from Saundersfoot raising money for Dementia UK).

INDIVIDUAL (FINLA Paddleboard as a prize): 1st- Trumpet playing Blues Brother (Carys Wood from Saundersfoot raising money for The Brain Tumour Charity).

2nd - Cleopatra (Lucy Brazier from Pembroke, donating to charity collection).

3rd - Working from home (Phil Baker from Saundersfoot, raising money for Wales Air Ambulance).