Thousands of Dutch bathers — some wearing orange bobble hats — braved the cold North Sea for a traditional New Year's Day plunge.

It happened in Scheveningen and the custom is thought to date back to the 1960s. Today the event is held as a charity fundraiser with each swimmer required to buy a ticket.

According to the event organisers, 10,000 people took part in the Scheveningen plunge

They endured water temperatures of 7℃.

More than 60 thousand people were expected to take part in similar events at 24 locations across the Netherlands.