A BLAIRHALL couple are just about thawing out after swapping the freezing Forth waters for their bathtub on New Year's Day.

Ginny Tate and Stuart Chesby decided to take on a ‘virtual’ Loony Dook for charity to kick-start 2021.

With the popular annual event cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic, the pair gathered all the ice they could muster and filled their own tub for two good causes.

Ginny raised £165 – with work donations still to come – for SAMH (Scottish Association for Mental Health), while Stuart was able to generate £145 for Andy's Man Club through his own efforts in the challenge.

With Foreigner's classic hit 'Cold As Ice' blaring in the background, Ginny stepped into the 10kg ice bath and submerged herself for a number of minutes.

"It was definitely colder than the Forth," she told the Press.

"It was pretty painful and I couldn't feel my feet and my arm locked up at one point – but I got through it!"

Once she did, a warm towel provided comfort.

"It had been in the tumble dryer so it was still warm," Ginny said. "I had planned ahead for that!"

However, a spur-of-the-moment decision was to use a marker pen to write the name of the charity on her body as well as messages relating to positive mental health.

"It won't come off now," she laughed.

"I have faint markings all over me!

"It was for a great cause though and I know that it's a hard time of year for a lot of people, so to raise as much money as we both did is great and it will help the charities."

Ginny added that she will take her next charity challenge to new heights – literally – as she plans on doing a sky dive when coronavirus restrictions ease off later in the year.