The Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell baptised five people in the sea at Bridlington this morning - helping them combine a re-commitment to Christ with a cooling dip.

The worshippers were all from Emmanuel Church, Bridlington, at the town's South Beach.

After drying off, the five candidates joined the Archbishop at the church for the 11am service of Holy Communion - where another candidate was baptised by the more-traditional method of having water poured on the head.

The Archbishop said: “Making a public commitment to being a follower of Jesus is a huge step and a moment to celebrate and remember. And if you're at the seaside, where better to experience the washing away of past hurts and the re-birth than out in the waves? A fantastic way to mark a new beginning - Bridlington beach on a summer's morning!”

York Press:

The Archbishop with members of the congregation of Emmanuel Church, Bridlington, ahead of the baptisms in the sea this morning

Baptism candidate Ryan Hartshorne, who made his decision to be baptised after taking part in Emmanuel Church's Alpha Course said: “Since I started coming to church a lot of good things - positive things - have happened in life, and I wanted to make a commitment for myself to the faith and the church.

“We've all done things in the past - made mistakes - and will probably continue to do so, but I wanted that fresh start, and to have that clarity of mind - my past's in my past, and it's all about the future!”

Curate of Emmanuel Church the Revd Rich Townend said: “This is such a wonderful day.”

The tradition of baptism in running water goes back to the Bible stories of John the Baptist. Jesus and then his followers washed new believers in rivers or lakes as a sign of their new start, washed clean of past burdens.