People are being invited to join a popular festive tradition - by putting on fancy dress and taking a dip in the icy cold North Sea on Christmas Day.

St Elizabeth Hospice has announced that its Christmas Day Dip will be returning to its traditional format on Felixstowe seafront this year.

The annual hospice Christmas Day Dip in 2020 was cancelled due to Covid restrictions, as was the next year’s event, which was postponed and took place at Easter 2022.

This year the event will take place on Christmas Day at 10am, opposite Manning's Amusements, Sea Road, Felixstowe.

East Anglian Daily Times: Despite the official St Elizabeth Hospice Christmas Day swim being cancelled many people braved the elements to take the plungeDespite the official St Elizabeth Hospice Christmas Day swim being cancelled many people braved the elements to take the plunge (Image: Archant)

It will be the 18th time the Christmas Day Dip will have been held and will see hundreds of dippers don festive outfits before plunging into the North Sea.

Brave participants will raise vital funds for the hospice’s Christmas fundraising campaign, Be a Star, which helps the hospice support hundreds of patients and their families over the Christmas period.

East Anglian Daily Times: Organisers said they were sad to have to cancel the official Christmas Day DipOrganisers said they were sad to have to cancel the official Christmas Day Dip (Image: Archant)

Nichola Whymark, the head of partnership fundraising at St Elizabeth Hospice, said: “Our Christmas Day Dip is such a popular event, full of festive fun and one that is a Christmas tradition for many people.

East Anglian Daily Times: The Christmas Day Dip 2016 at Felixstowe, Pic: Harman Hopkins.The Christmas Day Dip 2016 at Felixstowe, Pic: Harman Hopkins. (Image: H3 Photography)

“It is always so brilliant to see the array of Christmas outfits on display as the local community joins together show their support for the hospice.

“With early bird tickets now available, there is no better time to register and start encouraging friends and family to sponsor you.

“Every pound raised really will make a difference to our staff as they care for patients and their families throughout East Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney during very difficult times in their lives.”

There will be no on-the-day registration this year, so supporters will need to pre-register for the challenge.

The early bird tickets are now available to purchase for £9 until November 30.

Standard registration is £13 and starts from December 1 through to midday on December 22.

Each ticket price includes a medal.

Tickets can be found online.