The Kingdom Brass synchronised open water swimming team of Chris Mansfield, David Frame and Bill Sandell may well be still recovering the feeling in their extremities from their New Year’s Day dip into the icy waters of the Firth of Forth, but they have certainly been warmed to the cockles of their hearts by the fantastic response their dip into the Scottish sea has produced.

£1000 barrier

They are currently on target to push through the £1,000 fund raising barrier for the SANDS Charity after they joined around 150 people on the windswept Kirkcaldy Esplanade for the official Dook for McMillan Cancer Trust.

The intrepid trio waded out with misplaced bravery up to their waists to play a special version of ‘A Guid New Year’ and ‘Auld Lang Syne’ before taking the plunge and diving head first under the waves.

Waist height

Bill told 4BR: "Once we reached waist height that was it – next stop was Norway! We played and then turned around and to make our triumphal headlong dive!"

Thankfully, the trio was soon warmed up that other well known Scottish form of celebration – with plenty of whisky.

Once we reached waist height that was it – next stop was Norway! We played and then turned around and to make our triumphal headlong dive!Bill Sandell

Warm up

Bill added: "When we finally got out we headed back to the bandhall where a generous amount of booze awaited us.

To sum it up, the whole day was a tremendous buzz. We were first to arrive on the Prom and about last to leave. None of us fully realised how many people were going to be there so that was a huge surprise. The support we got was immense and the weather couldn’t have been any better — sunny and a mighty 3 degrees!"

Generosity

Thanks to the generosity of Warwick Music the trio will be auctioning a brand new white pBone — NOT, it must be added, one of the ones used for the dip into the sea. Details will soon be published on the Scottish Brass Band Association website.