THE 10-year anniversary of the Indian Ocean tsunami will be remembered in the sea off Tenby on Boxing Day.

As hundreds of bathers in the town’s annual festive dip plunged into the North bay in 2004, local solicitor Paul Cowper and his family were wading shoulder high through flooded marshes in Sri Lanka in their lucky escape from the raging waters.

Their experience inspired them to the charity START (Sri Lanka Trust to Aid and Rebuild Tangalle), which raised £75,000 to rehabilitation projects in the coastal town.

Paul who is now living on Caldey Island, hopes - weather permitting - to make it to the mainland for Christmas and Friday’s Boxing Day Swim.

He and supporters of START plan to wear their charity t-shirts for the event, and he said: “It’s a reminder to people that the tsunami took place and that the lives of so many were wiped out or changed as a result.”

Now in its 44th year, Tenby Boxing Day Swim is regarded as one of the UK’s top festive highlights.

This year it has been named by the Rough Guide as one of Britain’s Barmiest Boxing Day Swims, and plans to live up to that title with the fancy dress theme of Pirates and Princesses

There will also be the crazy Daitanic Raft Race, in memory of Dai Rees of Saundersfoot, who loved taking part in the race in its heyday, and is for two-person crews on a craft constructed from just two barrels and some rope.

Now in its 44th year, and organised by the Tenby Sea Swimmers will be giving a helping hand to a number of good causes through their efforts - not least the three chosen by TSSA, which are St John Cymru, The Harriet Davis Trust and Splash Out 2014.

Brave bathers, who can also collect for their own charities and good causes, are rewarded with commemorative medals presented around a warming bonfire.

The Tenby Boxing Day Swim takes place on the North Beach, with the Daitanic Raft Race launching at 11am and swimmers taking the plunge at 11.30am.

The event is sponsored by FBM Holidays; Lewis, Lewis and Co. Ltd; Oakwood Theme Park and Princes Gate Water.

For more information, and to download a sponsor form, visit www.tenbyboxingdayswim.co.uk.