The Siberian ice bucket challenge: Tomsk beats New York

A total of 255 people took part in the mass pouring of icy water in Tomsk as the city broke a record previously held by Tyumen - also in Siberia - and New York City. 

People from 2 to 76 doused themselves in cold water in front of television cameras. The event was called 'Probuzhdenie' - or Awakening.

Alexander Germanov told TV2 channel that his aim was to beat other cities that had held the record previously. 

'Tyumen is considered a capital of Russian winter swimming, so there were healthy ambitions in me:  if Tyumen, why not Tomsk? This is a great way to spend winter time with positive and healthy people - pouring cold water, and swimming.

'We plan to make this action annual. In all, 255 people took part. We didn't even have enough buckets to go round.' He pledged that next year more than 400 will take part. 

Among the participants was a woman who is nine months pregnant. The oldest was pensioner Tamara, 76.

Previously, New York had staged such an event with 200 participants and Tyumen with 215. 

Perhaps global warming helped: the air temperature was plus 3C. To put it mildly, this was mild for the time of year in Tomsk.