THE parents of tragic diver Heather Schofield today thanked people across East Lancashire for their support following their daughter's death off the coast of Ireland.

They also paid tribute to the Irish community of Dingle for their help in comforting Heather's mother, Myra - a former nurse living in Billington - who was on holiday with her daughter when she died.

Their thanks came as police in Ireland continue to examine the circumstance surrounding Heather's death on Easter Bank Holiday Monday.

The 25-year-old - who lived in Hurst Green, taught geography at Moorland School in Clitheroe and was due to celebrate her 26th birthday while in Ireland - had gone diving with a dive centre based in Dingle.

Other members of the party on the dive said that Heather failed to re-surface when they did, prompting a search and rescue operation. Her body was pulled ashore several hours later.

The former Westholme pupil was buried following a funeral at Whalley Parish Church a fortnight ago. Friends from across East Lancashire - including teachers from Gawthorpe High School in Padiham where she used to teach, fellow members of Blackburn and Ribble Valley's Rotaract groups and friends from Accrington, where she used to live - attended.

Heather's death has prompted the Irish Water Safety Association to call for better regulation of the diving industry in Eire.

A spokesman said that while not commenting on Heather's death it did prove the need to regulate the industry tightly so that people knew it was safe to go diving.

Her father, Brian, who lives in Accrington, said: "We would both like to thank all our relatives, our precious friends and neighbours for their sympathy. We cannot put into words the comfort we have gained from the many cards and letters we have received."

Myra added: "We also can't thank the people of Dingle enough for the way they helped me when Heather died. They were deeply shocked by what had happened but were wonderful to me."