A group of women took to the icy sea without their tops on to draw attention to the need for breast self-examinations.

The gathering occurred on March 22 at Brighton’s naturist shoreline, organised by CoppaFeel, a breast cancer charity targeting younger people.

Almost 50 individuals had registered for the occasion, which aimed to raise awareness about chest checking, with organisers hoping to attract additional participants.

The organisation was established in 2009 by siblings Maren and Kristin Hallenga, following Kristin’s breast cancer diagnosis when she was just 23 years old.

The group’s mission centres on encouraging prompt diagnosis through teaching younger women, particularly those between 18 and 30, to perform routine breast examinations.

Jo Elliott, from Cambridge, was catching up with a companion in Brighton and sipping coffee near the shore when she noticed the participants.

She had undergone breast cancer treatment two years earlier, so witnessing the event proved deeply moving for her. She described feeling quite emotional about the occasion.

Katy Carson, from Hastings, and Alex Higgs, from Southwick described the dip as bitterly cold yet highly worthwhile.

They noted it made for an excellent start to the outdoor swimming calendar and praised the sight of women of varying ages, physiques and walks of life uniting behind a worthy cause.

Katherine Arbery and Katie Cuming, both Brighton locals, characterised the experience as cold yet thrilling, finding the topless swim surprisingly liberating.

Sue Tagliavini, from Uckfield, took part in what she described as her first English sea swim of the year.

She found it thrilling and admitted she would not have attended alone or swum without her top on unaccompanied, calling it a significant step. She emphasised that cancer touches everyone’s lives in some form, explaining her daughter was undergoing cancer treatment, and she had completed CoppaFeel treks with both her daughters.