More than 300 women strip off for charity on freezing UK beach - pics!

Prev

• 
• 

Next

View gallery

Pics: Bikini girls' northern grit

Pics: Miss England  winners

More than 300 women braved the unpredictable British summer weather as they attempted to break a world record for the most bikini-clad women ever photographed together.

But despite 320 women stripping down to their swimwear on Redcar Beach, Cleveland, the effort was not enough to get a place in the record books.

The fundraising event, organised by the Middlesbrough Erimus Rotary Club, failed to beat the current world record set in September last year on Bondi Beach, in Sydney, Australia, when 1,010 women posed together in their bikinis.

However, it is still expected that the record attempt will have raised thousands of pounds for the Great North Air Ambulance Service, through £5 entry fees and sponsorship.

Although it is a far cry from the sunny climes of Sydney, the sun did put in an appearance in Redcar today as thousands of people lined the beach to watch the women, aged 16-81, taking part in the challenge.

Organiser Mike Robson, chairman of fundraising at the Rotary Club, said: "It was electric. The atmosphere was fantastic.

"We didn't manage to break the record, in fact we got nowhere near it, but that isn't a disappointment. We managed to make an awful lot of money for the Great North Air Ambulance."

He continued: "We had one lady of 81, another who came from Surrey purely to do this, and plenty of ladies from all over the north east come here. Exactly what we wanted."

Robson said he came up with the idea after seeing the Bondi Beach attempt on the internet.

He said: "The Rotary Club traditionally do dances and quizzes, it's all the same. I thought 'it's time we do something different'. I mentioned it to the club and their jaws dropped but then they saw the double challenge of the world record and the fundraising element for the air ambulance and everyone worked their socks off."

Despite not managing to break the record this time, Robson said he was keen to have another attempt in the future, an idea backed by his wife, Jan, who took part today.

"It was fabulous. I wasn't going to do it but I borrowed a bikini just the same and I couldn't resist it in the end. The atmosphere was fantastic," he said.

"Everyone was enjoying it, all shapes and sizes, all waving and shouting. And the sun coming out just made it - I was a bit shivery to start with but we didn't feel the cold.

"I definitely would do it again."

The official photographs were taken by Pam Ainsley, who captured Redcar on camera for the film Atonement.

Pics: Bikini girls' northern grit

Pics: Miss England  winners