Charities chosen to benefit from a share of the funds raised at last year's Lowestoft Christmas Day swim have been presented with their cheques.

The event attracted around 2,500 spectators cheering swimmers along the promenade as they splashed into the sea.

And with the biggest turn out to date, with more than 300 registered swimmers taking the plunge, £13,330 was raised.

A presentation evening was held at Waterlane Leisure Centre last month for the charities to be presented with their cheques and explain how the money will be used.

This year's beneficiaries were Ollies Heroes, Brainwave Independence Group, Taylor High Memorial Fund, local Children's Home, Topcats, Lowestoft and Oulton Broad Swimming Club, Brian Gallagher Football Fund, Lowestoft Lions, Lowestoft Lifeguard Volunteer Corp and the local branch of the St John Ambulance.

Matt Stebbings, sport and leisure development manager at Sentinel Leisure Trust which organises the event, said: 'This year's swim was the biggest yet with over 300 swimmers registers and a massive £13,000 raised.

'The presentation evening is a real eye opener to what local charities do for those in greater need and are a credit to Lowestoft and Waveney, bring on next year.'

The donation to Topcats, which provides activities and opportunities for young people with additional needs, will go towards a minibus and communication aids.

Brainwave Independence Group, founded to provide support for people with brain injury and disability, will put its funds towards opening a support centre, while Lowestoft and Oulton Broad Swimming Club will use the money to ensure those living in the most deprived areas of Lowestoft are given the chance to compete away from home.

The children's home will use the money to take the youngsters away for the weekend, the Taylor High Memorial Fund will purchase new charity T-shirts, collection buckets and display boards and Ollie's Heros, which helps families with children suffering with cancer, will use the donation to continue helping with hospital costs and providing entertainment for the families.

The Lowestoft Lions will be using the donation to ensure their 'message in a bottle' project grows, and the Lowestoft Lifeguard Corps will put it towards maintaining their lifesaving equipment.

The Lowestoft St John Ambulance unit has already used its share to install a public access defibrillator outside their headquarters in Oxford Road, and the Brian Gallagher Football Fund will use it to continue its work ensuring football is accessible to all.