Brave outdoor swimmers wore Father Christmas hats as they kicked off their celebrations with a festive dip. Sea surface temperatures across the country were between 8C and 11C, the Met Office said.

Elsewhere in the world, Hanukkah started on Christmas Day for the first time since 2005 and celebrations were muted in Germany.

Police said they believed the suspect was ‘involved in an altercation at a nightclub prior to getting in his car and mounting the pavement’.