A £17,000 boost for dozens of charities has resulted from the efforts of over 600 Boxing Day bathers in Tenby and further afield. With 593 swimmers taking the plunge in Tenby, 14 braving a gale in Virginia, USA and a further three having a chilly time in Boston, USA, the Tenby Boxing Day Swim's medal total soared to its best ever.

In its 37-year history, the event - organised by the Tenby Sea Swimming Association -  has grown to be ranked as one of Britain's top festive highlights and has collected more than £170,000 for charities and good causes.

Last Christmas's swim took place in dry conditions and was enjoyed by a huge crowd, who also appreciated the unscheduled fly-past by a Sea King helicopter, together with raft, dinghy, rowing and sailing races, TSSA chairman Chris Osborne reminded guests at the recent presentation evening at the De Valence.

Swimmers matched their outstanding bravery in taking to the water with some outstanding sponsorship collections.

Terry Johnson, of Newport, Gwent, collected £1,019 for TSSA charities and £100 for the RNLI, earning him the TSSA shield for the highest sponsored swimmer for TSSA charities and the Idris Morgan Cup for the top overall individual sponsorship. Holly and Louise Adams, of Cresselly, raised £850 for Wales Air Ambulance and the Paul Sartori Foundation to win the Lew Day award for the best junior sponsorship.

Carew Sports Club raised £2,018 for the Olly Morgan Memorial Fund to win the Goscar Oscar for the highest sponsored group.

There were also a number of other superb fund- raising efforts, which were rewarded with Brass Monkey awards for groups and certificates for individuals raising more than £100, with the Mayor of Tenby, Clr. John Griffiths, presenting the awards. The Mills Macbeth family, of Tenby, collected £2,100 for the NSPCC, Cancer Research and Tenby Junior School; the Cross Inn, Penally, raised £1,456 for the Harriet Davis Trust; Bryn Rees, of Tenby, raised £500 for Care for Uganda orphanage and Jane Hewit, of Spittal, collected £750 for the Wales Air Ambulance and Spittal School.

The four headline charities chosen by TSSA  - Diabetes UK, Macmillan Cancer Support, the Gareth Scotcher Trust Fund and Paul Sartori Home Hospice Care - each received £800, while there was £100 each for the five organisations who contribute to the smooth running of the swim - St. John Ambulance, Tenby Sea Cadets, Tenby Surf Lifesavers, Tenby Coastguards, Tenby RNLI and Pembrokeshire Paddlers.

• All unclaimed awards and certificates can be collected from the Fourcroft Hotel. For sponsor forms for the 2008 Tenby Boxing Day Swim, or to see pictures from last year's event,  visit the website http://www.tenbyboxingdayswim.co.uk">www.tenbyboxingdayswim.co.uk