Sprightly Sir Paul McCartney, 79, dives into crashing waves as he hits the beach with his businesswoman wife Nancy Shevell, 62, in St Barts

Sir Paul McCartney and his wife Nancy Shevell looked relaxed as they took a dip in the Caribbean sea while holidaying in St Barts on Tuesday.

The former Beatle, 79, and businesswoman Nancy, 62, hit the beach with Nancy’s son Arlen, 29, from her relationship with politician Bruce Blakeman.

Protecting his fair skin from the strong sunshine, Sir Paul wore a navy blue T-shirt as he headed for a swim, while Nancy put on a leggy display in black thigh-skimming shorts.

Paul teamed the look with tie-dye blue and white swimming shorts as he played about in the clear water and at one point dived into a wave as it crested before crashing onto the golden sandy beach.

The Beatles legend was dripping from head to toe as he headed back to his group of pals and roughly towel dried his hair, while Nancy chatted away. 

The businesswoman was in good spirits as she strolled across the beach, in her all black ensemble which comprised of a black long-sleeve top, a pair of matching shorts and a straw hat.

American Nancy, who is the vice president of her family transportation services business the Shevell Group, sheltered her eyes behind a pair of dark sunglasses.

Nancy looked content watching her partner Paul as he went for his swim, with the star almost falling into the water at one point before catching his balance.

He looked relaxed as he lay on the surface of the azure sea before later performing a variety of swimming strokes as Arlen swum nearby.

Nancy waved at her family as she stood in the shallow surf before Paul returned to the shore to wrap himself in a towel.  

Sir Paul and Nancy have been together since 2007 and married in a ceremony held in Marylebone four years later in 2011.

It’s thought Sir Paul and Nancy first met thanks to both owning homes in the Hamptons.

Sir Paul was previously married twice before – he wed first wife Linda in 1969 and the pair were married until Linda died, aged 56, in 1998, following a battle with breast cancer.

Paul and Linda share four children; daughters Heather, Mary and Stella, and son James.

He later wed second wife Heather Mills, who he shares daughter Beatrice with, in 2002 – they split four years later in 2006 and their divorce, costing the star £24.3 million, was finalised in 2008.

Sir Paul and Nancy’s holiday comes after it emerged Sir Paul is being considered for a peerage to mark his 80th birthday this summer.