Britain enjoys balmiest Boxing Day for 28 years - but forecasters warn a chilly north-east wind is on the way

By LEON WATSON



Five hundred fancy dress-clad Boxing Day revellers took part in the Tenby Boxing Day Swim in the cold seas off west Wales resort



Thousands of barmy Brits took to the beaches today for the balmiest Boxing Day for 28 years.

Temperatures around the country were up in the teens with Fyvie Castle in Scotland reaching 15.5C in 1983.

The record temperature for December 26 is 16C in Haddington, East Lothian, and the next highest 15.5C in Raunds, Northamptonshire.



The picturesque seaside resort of Tenby became a magnet for hardy revellers seeking to shake off Christmas Day excess with a brisk sea dip



Boxer Tony Jeffries (right) was out at the annual Boxing day dip at Seaburn Beach, Sunderland, and the annual Aberdeen Lions Nipper Dipper Boxing Day event (left) attracted a few hardy souls



But today, according to the Met Office, across most of the country the temperatures never got below 8C or 9C.

Forecaster George Goodfellow said: 'The only places were it got higher were in the fells of Northern Ireland and on high ground.

'It has been unseasonably warm both on Christmas Day and Boxing Day.'

The coldest urban area in the UK is believed to have been Aberdeen, where the mercury fell to 8.5C.



More paddlers showed off their costumes at Seaburn Beach



Bathers take to the water at the North Beach in Tenby, Pembrokeshire, in the resort's 41st Boxing Day Swim



The heat will remain on until the weekend when a north east wind is expected to blow in with a chill factor.

Mr Goodfellow said: 'We're expecting more unsettled weather come on New Year's Eve and parts of the country will get some rain.'

Among the swimmers braving the Boxing Day water were those taking a dip in fancy dress at events in Tenby and Pembrey in west Wales and Seaburn Beach near Sunderland.

But, they weather wasn't so good in Shetland where around 500 homes are still without power after hurricane force winds hit the islands on Christmas Day.



Hundreds of people in fancy dress also took a plunge at Pembrey Park, west Wales, for this year's Walrus Dip



At the peak of the problems, Scottish Hydro Electric Power Distribution said there were 5,500 homes without electricity as gusts of more than 100mph were recorded on the islands yesterday.

The power company said it has drafted in engineers from the mainland who are continuing to work to restore supplies to the remaining homes.

Company spokeswoman Samantha O'Connor said: 'There are around 500 still without power, but most of them are due to the same issue and we hope to have that repaired by 11pm.

'Fifty homes will definitely not have power restored tonight because of an overhead network problem but we have contacted all of those affected by this to keep them updated.



(Left to right) Nesika Sterling, Lauren Fixen and Amber Sterling enjoying the water at Seaburn Beach



'We would like to apologise to all of those affected by the interruption to the supplies in Shetland.'

The company said engineers will work until 11pm today and resume early tomorrow morning to restore power to the remaining properties.

Mainland Scotland also experienced high winds with gusts of 80mph-90mph yesterday.

The high winds also caused difficulties for a coastguard helicopter as it evacuated a female patient from the island of Yell to the main island of Shetland at around 2.30pm yesterday.



source: dailymail