WETSUITS and Worcester seem an unlikely combination but there is an underwater experience buoyant and bubbling within the city.

In the past few years diving has become ever more popular for UK residents, from exploring shipwrecks on our own coastline, to swimming among colourful Caribbean reefs.

And for those hoping to unlock the hidden secrets of our oceans', Worcester Swimming Pool, Sansome Walk, certainly provides the key.

Barbados it isn't, but it is home to Worcester Divers, a branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club, which has been promoting diving and training newcomers to the sport since the 70s.

So when I was invited on to poolside to experience a "try-dive" at first hand, I could not resist taking the plunge, with help from instructor Darren Ashford.

Having snorkled abroad, I turned up at the baths in Sansome Walk fairly confident in trying out the scuba experience. But watching some of its 100-strong membership competing in the fast and furious team sport of "Octopush", I wondered what I had let myself in for.

It looked good, frantic fun, but thankfully we walked past the puck pushing antics and I found myself with a range of divers, all at various stages of training.

A T-shirt and trunks are all that you need for the initial taster session, and with one-to-one tuition, it is a great opportunity to find out if diving is right for you.

My only experience of scuba diving was on holiday, a real crash course which involved a measly five-minute safety introduction, before I was "thrown" overboard with weights tied round my waist.

This time, I was given a clear talk through all of the equipment, how to use it correctly and the diving signs needed to communicate underwater, before even entering the pool.

Soon I was swimming underwater, learning about buoyancy, how to lower and raise myself in the water, and how to react if I lost your mouthpiece.

Training

It was a great experience and gave me an insight into many of the courses run within the club and externally through the BSAC. These include boat-handling and training up to instructor standard.

The first of these, the Ocean Diver, provides beginners with an ideal leap into the underwater world and an internationally recognised BSAC qualification. This allows people to dive to a maximum of 20 metres with another diver.

And, as Chris Redman, promotions officer at Worcester Divers explained, it opens up a wealth of experience and opportunities.

"There's a great social side to the club, we've had dives in the Red Sea and the Maldives, and the experiences and sights on our own coastline are equally rewarding.

"I've never dived abroad, but I've still seen basking sharks, dolphins, seals and unusual species such as sun fish and trigger fish. The sights are amazing."

If, after a taster session you want to take the Scuba experience further, you can join the club and become assigned to a qualified instructor.

They will carry out the training program towards the Ocean Diver certificate, which normally involves a minimum of five pool sessions followed by an assessment dive.

Open water experience is also essential, and again involves five sessions, usually starting at Stoney Cove diver training centre in Leicestershire. Seven classroom lessons, between one to two hours each, completes the training.

For those who are then qualified, the club owns a purpose built diving boat and organised dives are held throughout the year, including weekends away and trips both on the UK coast and abroad.

Worcester Divers meet at Worcester Swimming Pool at 8pm every Thursday, and an initial try-dive costs £15. For further information and full range of prices contact the club on 07906 987789 or log onto www.worcester divers.com