A THOUSAND brave swimmers battled the chilly waters of Windermere in one of Cumbria's most popular swimming events.

Hard boiled water babies from all over the country descended on Low Wood Bay for the annual Chill Swim event.

Entrants, many of them in fancy costume and body paint, immersed themselves in the cold waters of Windermere to swim a variety of distances, all without wetsuits.

There were various competitions held yesterday, including team relays, endurance races and 'head up breaststroke'.

Director Colin Hill said: "We have seen a dramatic rise in competitors since the event started in 2013, from about 250 then to over a thousand this year."

Today the event will host the 1km winter swimming championships.