Like every January 1st since 1946, several courageous divers braved the cold and rain to kick off 2018 by jumping from a bridge in central Rome into the famous river, which is barely above freezing.

“It's my 30th jump,” said Maurizio Palmulli, a veteran diver, dressed in his swimsuit before the big jump.

The tattooed fifty-year-old said he wanted to “dedicate this year's jump to all the families in difficulty, not only here in Rome but also in Italy and all over the world,” before taking the plunge from about twenty metres.

Simone Carabella, another diver, said: “The water is really freezing”.