Royal Marine veteran: 'Cold water keeps me alive'

A Royal Marine veteran who twice tried to take his own life believes exposure to cold water has saved him.

Sam Murray, 49, from New Mills in Derbyshire, was diagnosed with PTSD after serving nine years in the military and later working as a bodyguard in the Middle East.

The father-of-three said he had an "awakening" after taking a dip in a river he used to play in as a child.

Mr Murray and his partner Miranda Bailey now lead sessions on breathing techniques, meditation and cold water exposure.

"I'd be jumping in there [the water], breaking ice sometimes to get in there, just because it made me feel alive," he said.

The Outdoor Swimming Society says people wishing to try cold water exposure or wild swimming should "enter the water very slowly, getting used to the temperature".

"Find your exit point before entering the water," the organisation added.

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Video journalist: Alex Thorp

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