Ex-marine who is fighting cancer takes a dip in the sea at Cleveleys on his Cold Dip Commando tour of UK beaches

Tim, 59, was diagnosed with his fourth cancer in December 2022 – but it hasn’t stopped him from fighting the waves.

The ex-commando set off from his home in Poole, Dorset on Jan 01, 2023 and is taking a cold water dip in 31 locations – including Cleveleys.

He is travelling around the country in a campervan and so far has met some rough weather conditions, which hasn’t phased him.

He said: “I started doing cold water dips just as therapy for myself. It was rough today, but once you’re in all you are thinking about it the cold, getting your breathing right and it reboots your head.”

Tim had planned the Cold Dip Commando tour after having a stem cell transplant in summer 2022 .

He had hoped this would be a celebration that the cancer had gone but in December he found out it had spread.

He added: “The cancer spread to my spleen, esophagus and liver, but I wasn’t going to let it stop me.

Tim has also been inviting serving and former military and 999 personnel, swimming clubs and the general public to experience the physical and mental benefits of cold water immersion.

He wants to reduce the stigma that surrounds cancer and mental health and well being particularly with serving and former military personnel. ’

"I’ve had great support at every location and I’ve had so many people get in touch telling my about their own cancer journey. I’ve been a bit of a sounding board for them. It’s been humbling.”

Before cancer and the chemotherapy, Tim said he would have ‘swam the Channel dragging a piano’ but excessive chemotherapy treatment has done irreversible lung damage, which also means it would be too dangerous for him to swim in the sea.

"We just stand in the water, fully submerged. We can’t stay in for too long, I don’t want anyone getting hypothermia.”

Find out more about the Cold Dip Commando challenge at https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/colddipcommando