ONE New Year's Day dipper bared all in the name of charity.

Dan Hayes kicked off 2018 by jumping into the chilly Irish Sea at Earnse Bay, Walney in his birthday suit to complete an epic fundraising challenge series.

The 32-year-old local DJ and his friend Mathew Robson, 25, have completed their 17 challenges of 2017 and raised a fantastic £19,000 for the Motor Neurone Disease Association, all in memory of their late friend Gordon Cooney.

The Barrow men started their fundraising series with a New Year's Day dip and ended it with one, as Mr Cooney used to do the dip each year.

Former driving instructor and musician, Mr Cooney, of Walney, was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease in June 2014 and passed away in August 2016, age of 57.

The fundraising duo of Mr Hayes and Mr Robson have participated in the Great North Run as Dumb and Dumber, and Mr Hayes got a place and did the London Marathon as part of their challenges.

Mr Hayes planned to do the January 1 dip in a mankini, but as more sponsorship money flooded he said he would do it butt naked, but covering his modesty.

Speaking after today's Walney dip, Mr Hayes said: "Cold is not the word, you can't breathe in there.

"Gordon used to do the New Year's Day dip so we started off with one and we have finished off with one."

Joining him on the dip, in shorts and tops, were Mr Robson and pals Gary and Euan James.

There were other dippers out at Walney today supporting various charities including St Mary's Hospice and Jo's Appeal.

Lizzie Kershaw, her sister Cath Smith, and daughter Steph Roberts, were jumping in the sea for St Mary's Hospice in memory of their late mum and grandmother Maureen Ann Smyth. Mrs Smyth passed away in 2014 after battling pancreatic cancer and the family are immensely grateful to the care of the hospice team.

Furness Coastguard volunteers were on hand as the group headed into the tide.

At Canal Foot, Ulverston they were also supporting New Year's Day dip for good causes.

They were taking the plunge to support Ulverston boy Joe Morgan, nine.

Joe has cerebral palsy and his family had hoped for him to have Selective Dorsal Rhizotomy surgery in the United States to get him walking. But his family received the blow that the Joe a has a rare brain disorder, Bilateral Schizencephaly. He is no longer a candidate for SDR surgery as his tight muscles are not caused by spasticity of his muscles. There are alternative therapies and treatment which will help Joe, which his family continue to fundraise for to give Joe the best possible life.

Gary Smedly led a New Year's Eve collection for Joe in Ulverston and then a group of friends completed the dip into the sea, raising more than £246. Other people also fundraised for different charities and good causes.

Joe's mum, Lianne Morgan has said a big thank you to everyone that supported the event.