Hardy souls brave the sea for Teesdale charity

WARM UP: Ben and Chris Read get a curry before their dip

FOUNDERS and supporters of a Teesdale charity have braved the icy North Sea to raise £7,000.

More than 30 hardy souls joined Winston's Chris Read and his son, Ben, at Saltburn last Tuesday (December 27) to help two wheelchair-using siblings have a safe play area in their back garden.

Cohen and Indie Cartwright, from Redcar, watched on with their parents Laura and James as dozens of people raised £3,800 on the day.

A Smile For A Child brought the total up to £7,000 – allowing the family to coat their back garden with artificial grass.

The father-son team had warming support in the shape of Zac Ahmed and staff from Barnard Castle's Spice Island restaurant who served the pair a curry before they took on their challenge.

Mr Read said: “It was the most we have ever raised at the Santa Dip. This was helped by many local people including a team from “The Lab MMA Gym” in Darlington, Katie Hanrahan and of course Spice Island.”

A Smile For A Child brought up its one millionth pound before Christmas.

Another charity dip could be on the cards in the summer – for more information go to www.asmileforachild.org