TV actor Charles Dale goes

from Casualty to crazy in his

home town on Saturday when

he signals the start of Tenby's

Boxing Day Swim.

Charles, currently appearing

as porter Big Mac in the BBC

hospital drama, will be giving

the go-ahead to hundreds of

barmy bathers to sprint for the

sea in the seaside spectacle,

which is now ranked as one of

Britain's festive highlights.

A musical theme is being

sounded out for this year's

swim with the fancy-dress

theme of Seasonal Songs, and

Charles's dad - well-known

local entertainer Laurie Dale -

will also be on hand on the

sands to judge the special category

for the best fancydressed

singing group.

Fun on Tenby's North Beach

begins at 11 am, with a round-

Goscar raft race and dinghy,

canoe and longboat races.

Weather permitting, there will

also be the launch of Tenby's

lifeboats - the all-weather

Haydn Miller and the brandnew

inshore craft, the

Georgina Taylor.

Swimmers take to the water

at 11.30 am, and emerge from

the chilly water to be presented

with a commemorative

medal and warm-up around

the beach bonfire.

The swim is sponsored by

FBM Holidays and organised

by the Tenby Sea Swimming

Association, whose headline

charities this year are:

Pembrokeshire Stroke Club,

the Hope Multiple Sclerosis

Therapy Centre,

Pembrokeshire Special Needs

Gymnastics Club, Ty Hafan

Children's Hospice for Wales

and Leukaemia Research,

Tenby and district branch.

Swimmers can also be sponsored

for their own chosen

charities and good causes.

Sponsor forms are available

co.uk or the

Fourcroft Hotel, Tenby.