WOULD-BE festive swimmers are being urged to resist the temptation to follow a long-standing tradition and take to the sea in Tenby this Boxing Day.

With the town’s famous Boxing Day Swim postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic, there will be no activities or safety cover on the North Beach as normal, the event organiser, Tenby Sea Swimming Association (TSSA) is warning.

The swim was due to be celebrating its 50th anniversary this year, but TSSA recently took the decision to postpone it to 2021 and mark the notable anniversary with a May Day Dip.

Swim chairman Chris Osborne said:

“There seems to be cause for some optimism in that Tenby’s residents and visitors might be sufficiently vaccinated by Easter next year to hit the sea again, en masse.

“In the short term, this means there will not be a Tenby Boxing Day Swim this year. We hope to proceed with a one-off May Day Dip replacement for the annual Boxing Day Swim in May next year, provided the then Covid circumstances allow. More news on this next year.”

“Meanwhile, there will be no safety, soup, bonfire, medals, music or any other organised activity on Tenby’s North Beach on the morning of December 26.

“So, please, in deference to our fellow occupiers of this planet, do not gather in large numbers on Boxing Day; rather, we ask that we all respectfully await a time when we can roll out again this iconic event of which Tenby is appropriately proud.”