BRAVE swimmers enjoyed a dip in the sea at Boscombe on New Year's Day as 2022 got off to an unseasonably warm start.

Dozens of people braved the water during sunrise to see in the first day of the new year.

Bournemouth-based weather enthusiast Bournemouth and Poole Weather said New Year’s Day will see “very mild” temperatures peaking at 14C or 15C.

Bournemouth Echo: Swimmers at Boscombe on New Year's Day. Picture: Andrew Matthews.Swimmers at Boscombe on New Year's Day. Picture: Andrew Matthews.

In a post on Twitter he said: “Happy New Year one and all. 2022 greets us with another mainly dry and super mild day ahead, in fact we’ve already got some sunshine and despite the breeze temps will again get to a very mild 14-15C.”

The Met Office forecast for Bournemouth for New Year’s Day predicts sunny spells until 4pm with heavy rain between 8pm and midnight.

Bournemouth Echo: Boscombe beach on New Year's Day 2022. Picture: Andrew Matthews.Boscombe beach on New Year's Day 2022. Picture: Andrew Matthews.

It comes after a balmy New Year’s Eve which the Met Office said is provisionally the warmest on record.

The Met Office said: “The record breaking warmth over the #NewYear2022 is thanks to a flow of warm subtropical air from the Azores But the weather is set to briefly turn wintry this week with cold winds originating from the Arctic leading to overnight frosts, and snow for some by Tuesday.”

Bournemouth Echo: Watching the sunrise at Boscombe on New Year's Day 2022. Picture by Andrew Matthews. Watching the sunrise at Boscombe on New Year's Day 2022. Picture by Andrew Matthews.

Bournemouth Echo: Swimmers at Boscombe at sunrise on New Year's Day 2022. Picture by Andrew Matthews.Swimmers at Boscombe at sunrise on New Year's Day 2022. Picture by Andrew Matthews.

The Met Office said temperatures increased overnight to reach 16.5C in Bala, Gwynedd, north Wales after a New Year’s Eve record of 15.8C was set in Merryfield in Somerset and Nantwich in Cheshire.

Met Office forecaster Craig Snell said the average temperature in December and the beginning of January is usually around 7C or 8C, with the warmer weather due to a south-westerly wind making its way across the country.