London ladies take to sub-zero Tooting Bec lido despite huge chunks of ice floating by them
Lido ladies
Pics: Brave swimmers at the icy Tooting Lido
COME on in – the water’s, erm, freezing...
These were the scenes as swimmers set out for their early morning dip at Tooting Bec Lido today – ignoring massive sheets of ice floating beside them.
A group of about 10 swimmers take the plunge at the 90m outdoor pool every morning throughout winter despite the freezing temperatures.
“We are madly insane,” said Maureen Hughes, 45, from Croydon. “But it feels exhilarating. Your body gets used to the extreme cold and reacts straight away,” she added.
Veronique Dochain, 55, from Streatham, said: “It’s very addictive. When you come out you feel a buzz, it makes you glow for the whole day.”
Gus Brooks, 48, from Tooting, said: “It’s an amazing rush, you can feel every part of your body. It’s halfway between pain and pleasure.”
However, their swimming plans were scuppered on Tuesday when the pool – the largest freshwater facility England – completely froze over.
Meanwhile, shivering Londoners faced a new hazard today – freezing fog.
Forecasters said patches of hard-to-shift fog and ice would make for dangerous driving conditions around the capital and the South East.
Overnight there was no repeat of the Arctic-style minus 12C temperatures but the mercury still barely rose above zero.
Temperatures are expected to plummet to minus 4C again tonight but there is some good news on the way.
The cold snap that has gripped the country since Boxing Day is expected to clear by Sunday with the prospect of a balmy 10C on Monday.
Pics: Brave swimmers at the icy Tooting Lido
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