MORE than two hundred brave volunteers started off the new year with a cold swim in the waters of the Gare Loch to help raise money for the RNLI.

Around five hundred spectators, wrapped up to keep warm, looked on as hundreds of hardy swimmers of all ages celebrated the new year with a dip in the water, which was a chilly eight degrees Centigrade.

This year's participants came from as far afield as Berlin, Budapest and even Brisbane to take part in the event, alongside a healthy crop of swimmers from the local area and throughout Scotland and the UK.

This year the youngest swimmer to brave the cold was fearless five-year-old Manni Gillies from Dumbarton, who received a certificate for his participation in the event that he can show off to friends and family.

The New Year Swim at the RNLI slipway at Rhu Marina not only saw hundreds of people enjoy themselves but also raised £1,200 for the RNLI to help them continue their work.

Keith Shipman, volunteer press officer for the RNLI, was delighted with how it all went.

He said: “With a water temperature of eight degrees any sluggishness from the previous night’s celebrations was quickly shocked away.

“Some in fancy dress, some raising money for charity, and some just for the fun of it – a great time was had by all watched on by a large crowd of supporters.”

Lifeboat crew members turned out on the day to provide safety cover and help with organisation. Members Colin Gardiner, Carrick Roy, Jim Foster, Robin Lane, David Dundas, Susan Hendry, Kenneth Miller, Jamies Clark, Peter Tindal, Dean Durrant, Joe Masterson, Iain McCormick, Neil Petrie, Thomas Ridsdill, Jamie Shields, James Silverthorne, Mark Walker and Richard Crawley are thanked for their efforts at the event.

Mr Shipman added: “Our thanks to Fiona Howard for her help, the Coastguards for their shoreside safety support, the Marina for hosting the day and the lifeboat crew who were in the water throughout as safety for the swimmers – and finally, to all who braved the water.”

* For full coverage of the event - including lots of great pictures from the day - pick up a copy of the January 5 issue of the Advertiser, on sale now.

The names of the swimmers who took part this year were as follows:

Anthony Abraham (Helensburgh), Jennifer Abraham, David Abraham, Drew Airlie (Westruther), Stuart Alperson (Helensburgh), Chris Allwood (Helensburgh), David Armstrong (Rhu), Millie Armstrong Sheen (10, Rhu).

Andrew Bailey (Dumbarton), Kirsten Barrett (15, Helensburgh), Jarod Barrett, Anne Beavan (Helensburgh), Gordon Bellshaw (Kilcreggan), Euan Birrell (Glasgow), Erin Bipaith (Helensburgh), Tim Bookman (Aberdeen), Ivan Boulton (Helensburgh), Jim Brannan (Balloch), Arnold Bretman (Rhu), Davy Bromi (Milngavie), Alan Bryden (Glasgow), Andrew Bullingham (Helensburgh), Morgan Bullingham (15).

Tom Carruthers (Helensburgh), Michael Canmug (Rosneath), Tamara Chamberlain (Garelochhead), James Chamberlain (South Witham), William Child (Helensburgh), Florence Child (6), Toby Clark (11, Helensburgh), Niamh Clark (12), Gary Clark, Bonnie Clark (Helensburgh), Tom Claxton (Helensburgh), Rowena Claxton, Judy Clifford (Bamford), Isla Coffield (13), Mairead Cook (Helensburgh), Simon Cormack (Glasgow), Charlotte Crowson (15, Rhu).

Thomas Dennett (Helensburgh), Angus Doig (Buxton), Andrew Doig (Brockenhurst), Fin Doig (12), Kara Doig (15), Andy Donald (Helensburgh), Robert Donald (Helensburgh), Ross Donaldson (Helensburgh), John Dow (Helensburgh), Michael Doyle (Helensburgh).

Robin Scott Elliott (Helensburgh), James Erith (Helensburgh).

Ed Fanshawe (Rhu), Edna Ferguson (Arrochar), Michael Forrester (Garelochhead), Sarah Frood (Cove).

Camila Ganning (Rugby), Lee Gibson (Helensburgh), Stefan Gierull (Berlin), Christopher Gillies (Dumbarton), Locke Gilmour (Whitwell), Luke Godwin (12), Karen Graham (Helensburgh), Steve Graham (Cardross), Fraser Gray (Helensburgh), Kenneth Gray (Bathgate), Mark Greig (Helensburgh), Wilma Greiner (Helensburgh).

Antonia Hammond (Kilcreggan), Katie Hill (13, West London), Stephen Humprieys (Helensburgh). Bill Inglis (Shandon). Jann Jardine (Alexandria), Alex Johnson (14, Rhu), Lesley Johnson (Rhu), Miranda Johnson, Luci-Elizabeth Johnson (Helensburgh), Joahanne Jakob John (Neubrandenburg), A Joy (Glasgow). Perehc Kelemexi (Budapest), Graham Kelly (Bearsden),James Kelly (Helensburgh), SHC Kershaw-Yates (Helensburgh), Stephen Kerr (Glasgow), Lyndsay King (Helensburgh), Stephen Kirk (Prestwick), Adam Koroknai (Livingston), Eniko Koroknai.

Charlotte Lawrence (Bristol), William Lawrence, Dushanbe, Tajikustan), Patrick Lavelle (Helensburgh), Alex Lewis (Helensburgh), Gail Losh (Clynder), Rosemary Lowne (Dumbarton), Mary Lynch (Helensburgh), Josie Lynch (Helensburgh).

Bethany McBride (Helensburgh), Rachel McBride (12), Louise McCloy (Helensburgh), Joseph McCready (Helensburgh), Allyson McCulloch (Alexandria), Alex McEnan (Rhu), Zoe McEnan (10), Roddy McEwan (Rhu), Joshua McHenry (Falmouth), Rachel MacLeod (12, Howwood), Alistair McKenzie (Helensburgh), Gavin McPherson (Helensburgh),Kirsteen MacPherson (Helensburgh), Katherine McPhie (Cardross), Lindsay McSporran (Helensburgh), Eilidh McQueen (12, Garelochhead).

Jasmine Mansfield (13, Helensburgh), Moira Marshall (Rhu), Anne-Marie Mason (Helensburgh), Joe May (12), Jake Miller (Helensburgh), James Miller (Helensburgh), Emily Miller (14), Kelly Mozley (Helensburgh), Stephen Mullarkey (Clydebank), John Mucklow (South Queensferry), Isla Mucklow (9), Kate Mucklow, Lucy Mucklow (14), Alasdair Munro (Edinburgh), Peter Murdoch (11, Rhu), Kevin Murphy (Helensburgh).

Sudnir Naih (Saltash), Charlene Neilly (Garelochhead), Lois Nicolson (Rhu). Kate O'Brien (Glasgow), Stuart O'Donnell (Garelochhead), Tina O'Donnell (Helensburgh), Stephen Ormiston (Helensburgh).

Romana Patella (Brisbane, Australia), Lucy Paterson (Helensburgh), Amy Peebles (Helensburgh), Simon Peck (Bristol), Findlay Pennistoun (10, Helensburgh), Gary Potter (Helensburgh), Domenilo Del Priore (Kilcreggan), Melanie Del Priore, Elliott Smith Del Priore, Bea Del Priore (9), Oscar Del Priore (14), Keith Pyper (Helensburgh), Debbie Pyper. Kenneth Ridshill (Helensburgh), Sarah Robertson (Helensburgh), S. Robinson (Sutton Coldfield), Tomasz Roszak (Dumbarton), Paul Rowe (Consett), Lynn Rowlands (Helensburgh), Paula Russell (Helensburgh).

Chris Scott-Park (Gartocharn), David Scott-Park, AR Sharp (Clynder), Robert Sills (Cardross), Colin Simpson (Helensburgh), Marta Smith (Garelochhead), Sonalia Das Simpson (Porthcawl, South Wales), Alice Smith (Farnham), Robin Smith (Helensburgh), Robert Smith (Cardross), Gordon Smith (Helensburgh), Tina Smith (Helensburgh), Eric Spaven (Helensburgh), Joanna Steuart (Helensburgh).

Bruce Taylor (Aberdeen), Douglas Taylor (Helensburgh), Abi Townsend (Bentham). Jenny Vardy (Glasgow), Maggie Vardy (8). Ben Wain (Helensburgh), Graham Walker (Helensburgh), David Ward (Helensburgh), Ian Ward (Helensburgh), Jack Ward (Helensburgh), K. Waumsey (Glasgow), Darren Webster (Rhu), Lyn White (Balfron), Geraldine Whyte (Helensburgh), Jennifer Willbond (Edinburgh), Sarah-Janes Williams (Kilcreggan), Ross Wilson (10), Euan Wright (Kilcreggan), Tracey Wright (Glasgow). Frances Young (Shandon), Adrian Young (Shandon), Wendy Young (Helensburgh), Jonathan Young (Cardross).