A specialist club in Loughton is offering beginners the first chance to dive in to a new sport.

Based at the Loughton Leisure Centre in Traps Hill, the Loughton Sublime Diving Club has been running since 1996.

Steven Reed, 48, is the main instructor at the club which meets every Sunday.

Although people may not think of diving in the UK in a 2m deep pool, says Mr Reed, he claims it offers a good opportunity for beginners in the sport.

“I worked in Sharm El Sheik in Egypt but I wanted to move back to the UK to provide the service so people who wanted to go on holiday could come and learn with us,” said Mr Reed, who lives in Abridge.

“They train with us, the learning is done in the pool and then they get a referral to any diving centre in the world.

“It is a really nice way to learn.

“Nowadays I think travel options are fantastic, you can go so many places, but it is better to learn before you go away, not when you are abroad.

“There are no time constraints.”

Diving since he was 25, Mr Reed says that it offers a unique experience.

“The best thing is the weightlessness, you are naturally buoyant when you are scuba diving which means you stay where you are, suspended in crystal clear water.

“I think it is the closest you get to flying.

“The adventure of being able to explore and see the coral reef, the colours – you are going somewhere that few people can go.”

Over the years, the club has taught many people the vital skills needed for serious diving, including father and son Paul and Joe Curran who were awarded with qualification certificates by Mr Reed on Sunday (July 26).

Mr Curran, of Smarts Lane in Loughton, said: “We are definitely looking forward to continuing with our diving.”

He added: “The next step for me would become a professional instructor and take up a job, but I am not going to do that – what I would really like to do is see a whale shark in the wild.”