More than 650 swimmers from around the world descended on Tooting Bec Lido this weekend for the World Winter Swimming Championships.

Swimmers aged 11 to 80 took the plunge in water as cold as three degrees centigrade, with makeshift icebergs dotting the course and serving as a reminder of the nippy conditions.

It is the first time the championships have been held outside Finland.

Championship races took place on Saturday, while Sunday was reserved for relay swims and fun races.

Each race was a 25m width of breaststroke with the head up.

Margy Sullivan, vice president of the South London Swimming Club which hosted the event, said: "The Finns decided to make the races head-up breast stroke to give the amateurs a chance against the elite. The championship is less about speed and more about coping with the cold, the challenge of the races and having some fun."

While most swimmers came from Scandinavia, the event also drew cold-water fans from China, Australia and Canada.

Reporter Chloe Lambert tested the water before the event kicked off.

"It was really, really cold. It completely takes your breath away," she said.