AN 'INCREDIBLE' woman who launched a shelter for homeless pregnant women has helped keep the charity afloat by taking a New Year's Day plunge into the icy sea.

Taunton woman Viv Duncan founded the Life House in May 2016 after eight years of work to set up the facility and provide £20,000 of funding.

Viv was inspired to start the home after meeting a pregnant 16-year-old who was homeless, and so was housed but in inappropriate accommodation.

"She ended in hospital and I re-housed her with some friends of mine," Viv said.

"We opened the house under the umbrella of the charity Life, and we need to raise £10,000 a year to keep it running.

"We are housing girls who are pregnant or have new born babies until they are able to find somewhere more suitable.

"Usually it is for a year and then they are able to go into council accommodation."

Her latest fundraising effort saw Viv and three friends plunge into the sea at Lyme Regis dressed as characters from the film The Incredibles.

Viv added: "As part of our fundraising efforts, I did the Lyme Lunge.

"We set up a JustGiving page and that was up to £320.

"We have had people do half marathons for us before, but this is the first time I have done the Lyme Lunge.

"If anyone wants more information about the Life House then they can visit our website, and anyone can refer anyone."

Her fundraising total has since risen to more than £400 and people can still donate.

"The swim was great, but it was cold," she said.

"It was a beautiful day, the sun was warm but the water was not. We were in there for about five minutes.

"There were lots of people, it was absolutely heaving.

"Up on the top there were hundreds watching and lots of people swam too."

As well as providing a colourful superhero theme, the Incredibles outfits also served a second purpose.

Viv said: "There were actually two reasons we chose the Incredibles costumes. One was that somebody already had them, but also the black part of it could also be a wet suit."

For more about the Life House, visit lifecharity.org.uk.

To donate, go to justgiving.com/fundraising/vivienne-duncan.