THE chilly pool at White Wells Spa was rather crowded on New Year's Day as bathers took up a refreshing challenge. Almost 100 people made their way to the cottage on Ilkley Moor to start 1999 by sitting in water which rarely rises above six degrees centigrade

. Ilkley's Mark Hunnebell decided not to try and beat his New Year's Day record of 31 minutes in the pool but the increasingly popular event did attract others wanting to start 1999 with a difference. A group of 15 from the Clayton branch of the national youth organisation Woodcraft Folk managed to cram themselves (and four supporters) into the tiny pool to break the record they set last year.

Tony Tennant, a spokesman for the group, said: "It was a bit of a squeeze, especially when four other people decided to join us, but we managed it." He said: "Next year we are going to try for 25 but we'll need more small kids if we are going to have a hope of fitting in."

The challenge is organised each year by White Wells tenants, Derek and Christine Arnold. The couple enjoy the annual rush to numb those limbs, believing all those who take part fully deserve their certificate of achievement.

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