Felixstowe's popular Christmas Day Dip for last year is being held on the unusual date of Easter Sunday.

St Elizabeth Hospice, which organises the fundraising event, has rearranged the dip to take place on Sunday, April 17.

The original festive swim due to be held last Christmas was postponed due to extreme weather.

Returning for its 17th year, the event will see hundreds of 'dippers' don an array of costumes and vibrant outfits, with the hospice this year encouraging Easter-themed outfits.

The dippers will then take a plunge into the North Sea to raise vital funds, through sponsorship, for the hospice, which delivers free care to more than 3,000 patients and their families throughout east Suffolk, Great Yarmouth and Waveney.

Despite the Christmas Day event being cancelled, some people still braved the elements and took a dip in the sea.

The rearranged event will now take place at 10am, opposite Manning's Amusements on the seafront.

All 'dippers' who were registered for the Christmas Day Dip last year will be eligible to take part.

Becky Jedrzejewski, events and challenges fundraiser at St Elizabeth Hospice, said: "We are so pleased to announce a new date for all our loyal supporters and dippers to take part in our popular fundraising dip in the North Sea.

"We were very sad to have to postpone the dip on Christmas Day, but due to the high winds and safety advice from Felixstowe Volunteer Coastal Patrol Rescue Service, this was the correct decision to make in order to ensure the safety of our supporters.

"We hope our supporters will be able to join us along Felixstowe seafront on Easter Sunday and we thank them for their patience, while we have been reorganising a new date for the event."

Organisers have said there will be no on the day registration for the event, but there are 80 new places available which can be pre-registered by visiting the charity's website.