A woman from Talaton has raised more than £1,000 by swimming in the sea on Christmas Day.

Sally Shannon is a member of the Exmouth Women Seal Swimmers and joined a group of about 20 for their festive dip to raise money for her local Force Cancer charity.

“It was a lovely thing to do on Christmas morning and very invigorating,” she said.

The sea at Exmouth was a little rough on the day.

Despite missing the two previous Sunday swims because she had flu, Sally was determined to brave the briny, especially as her daughter had travelled from Berkshire to offer special support.

She recalls how disappointed she felt the first time she got knocked over by the waves.

“Later in the day I remembered that the December before I could hardly breathe, I felt bloated and had no hair, which really made me realise how far I had come,” she said.

Sally was diagnosed with breast cancer in March 2021.

“I received wonderful support from FORCE. They support the whole family because it’s not just you that’s on the journey from hell. It affects everyone around you.

“Their centre wasn’t fully open due to COVID but the support was still there. It’s amazing what they do. They’re always there if you need them,” she said.

FORCE offers free support to anyone locally affected by cancer from its main centre in Exeter and outreach hub in Ottery St Mary.

Sally was able to access wig fitting, massage, counselling and had a gym referral from the charity’s specialist physio team.

She also joined a Look Good Feel Better course, a one-off pampering session that teaches men, women and teens how to manage some of the visible side-effects of their cancer treatment in a practical and positive way.

“That was the first time I had the chance to talk to people going through the same thing as me, which was really good. Going through chemo we were all kept so far apart.”

Sally, a retired pub manager, has also had great support from the community in Talaton where she and partner Rob volunteer at the village shop.

She was at a knit and natter session in the village when she and neighbour and friend Jo Spencer decided they would start swimming together.

“I didn’t realise it would be in the sea!” said Sally.

They found the Exmouth Women Seal Swimmers, which started during lockdown when pools were closed. They swim at Exmouth on Sunday mornings.

Sally swam just once with them before deciding she wanted to take part in a Christmas Day dip and raise money for FORCE.

“I love it. You get a real buzz from it – an adrenalin rush. It’s exciting, despite the cold,” she said.

A hot chocolate with a shot of brandy helped her warm up after her Christmas Day swim along with the knowledge that she had raised a phenomenal £1,045 for FORCE, Gift Aid taking the total to £1,200.

“I was truly overwhelmed how much money was raised and it show how much FORCE means to people in the area,” said Sally.

“Huge congratulations and thanks to the amazing Sally for beginning her Christmas Day with a dip in the sea, raising a brrrrrr-illiant amount in the process,” said FORCE Community Fundraiser Naomi Cole.