HARDY swimmers and plungers braved icy waters for a traditional start to New Year's Day on Sunday.

At Otley, dozens of people lined the riverbank at Wharfemeadows Park to watch around ten people jump into the Wharfe.

And at Ilkley, adults and children leapt into the freezing waters of the plunge pool at the 18th Century White Wells spa.

Joe Town, of Aireborough Lifesavers, organisers of the Otley swim, said there was a good turn out of people.

Mr Town, 80, said: "It was very good. Numbers started dwindling a few years ago, but we started getting some regular lads coming along and this year we had ten people going in, which I thought was very good."

Mr Town took part in the swim himself, after taking a couple of years off.

"I had a bad leg one year and then my family said I was getting too old to do it, but you're as young as you feel and I enjoy it. If I didn't enjoy it, I wouldn't do it."

And he added that the river water would have been even colder than at Ilkley where the temperature in the plunge bath is kept at a constant seven degrees sentigrade throughout the year.

"Its colder in the river because its running and coming down from the hills and they've got places to dry off there - we have to stand on the riverbank to get dry."

Mark Hunnebell, who runs White Wells, Ilkley with his partner, Joanne Everall, said more than 100 people took the plunge during the day.

"We were very busy all day. There were over 100 people in the plunge pool and lots more watching and we were also very busy all day in the caf."

Mr Hunnebell added he was a fan of the plunge bath. "I go in every day and find its been really good for my health, I feel really good for it," he said.