Women brave the North Sea to mark International Women's Day

Teenagers and OAPs alike braved temperatures of just one degree and a biting wind chill to enter the ocean at King Edward's Bay in Tynemouth, North Tyneside.

The women, who wore swimsuits along with woolly hats, gathered on the beach at around 6.30am, just after the sun started to come up.

Cheryl Tanner, a personal trainer from North Shields, organised the event.

She took up open water swimming last summer and has vowed to mark every International Women's Day by organising a mass rush into the sea.

Cheryl said: "It was lovely this morning. It was a bit windy at first but the waves were only about one or two feet high.

"It was great to see people come and turn out. The sun was shining and that made it all the more special.

"I've been dipping every week since June. I wanted to mark International Women's Day and also educate people on open water swimming.

"It's great because no one wore wake up, nobody cared what people were wearing – it was just really spontaneous.

"It's great to challenge our bodies by being in the sea but it's important to be safe."

Mum-of-two Cheryl plans on hosting a dip every Saturday for the next four weeks, and plans to ask people to bring supplies they can donate to the Ukrainian people.

The 32-year-old added: "I love how everyone is involved with the day, both men and women.

"The attitudes towards women have changed so much over the years and I love that.

"It's good to celebrate the accomplishments of women in society.

"It was a great turn out this morning, it was a beautiful morning and it was nice to see people dipping for the first time.

"When you do something challenging you get that feeling of accomplishment.

"For the next few weeks I want to ask people if they can donate things like paracetamol for the people of Ukraine – things that we have in our homes and might not even realise."