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Woman braves North Sea in Advent swim challenge

Andrew Turner/BBC Pam Spychal, dressed in a high visibility orange knitted hat, and a black dry robe. She wears glasses and is pictured on the beach at Great Yarmouth.Andrew Turner/BBC
Pam Spychal has raised more than £2,000 for homelessness charity Hope into Action

A woman has braved the winter sea and raised more than £2,000 for a homelessness charity by completing an Advent swimming challenge.

Pam Spychal, 70, set out to complete a swim at Great Yarmouth's north beach every day until 24 December this month, for a minimum of two minutes.

She carried out her full dips, apart from two days during Storm Darragh when it was not safe to enter the sea off Norfolk so she endured ice baths at home, and on some other days she said the sea was too rough so she was just "wallowing in the surf".

"It's gifted me different weather and different conditions every day. It's been lovely but getting out has been the worst bit," she said.

Andrew Turner/BBC Pam Spychal, dressed in an orange hat and black swim suit, and orange floatation marker, with three friends entering the sea at Great Yarmouth beachAndrew Turner/BBC
Pam Spychal says every swim has been different ranging from very rough days, where it was too dangerous to enter the sea, to days when it was "almost welcoming"

After the final swim on Christmas Eve, which lasted for about four minutes, she said: "It will be nice to have a break but I'll be back [swimming] next week.

"Every single day in the sea is different. Some days it's been calm and the sea's been almost welcoming.

"Other days it's been very rough. I've had to spend time just wallowing in the surf and letting the water wash over me because I couldn't even swim.

"It was worse because in the sea you can look at the lovely scenery and see the birds fly by, but in the bath you're just sat there counting the seconds."

Andrew Turner/BBC Pam Spychal, with an orange hat and float, swimming in the sea with two of her friends, to raise money for charity. Pam is on the right of the image.Andrew Turner/BBC
Pam Spychal hopes the money she raised will help the charity Help into Action open a house to help homeless people in Great Yarmouth

Pam decided to raise money for Hope into Action, a charity based in Peterborough which has accommodation in Norwich to help homeless people find permanent shelter.

She is hopeful the charity will work with the churches in Great Yarmouth to open a house in the seaside resort.

"Hope into Action are partnering with the parish of Great Yarmouth, so that's the Minster, St Mary's and St Paul's to help support people into accommodation," she said.

"At a recent meeting they said that street homeless has been as high as it's ever been for many years, so it's a very serious issue.

"I'm really proud of myself and really pleased I raised £2,000."

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