SCUBA diver Mark Webber is aiming to make a splash in the record books - by staying under water for ten days!

The aqua fanatic will go ten feet under in a bid to earn a place in the Guinness Book of Records.

But he took a break from preparations to warn: "The last person to try this lost all his hair, went deaf for a few months and suffered water saturation!"

Mark, 27, of North Road, Blackburn, will attempt to break the current world record of eight days, 20 hours and 30 minutes when he enters a water tank outside Manchester Diving Group's base in Chorlton-cum-Hardy on September 27.

Eating, sleeping - and going to the toilet! - will create a whole new series of problems until he hopefully emerges from the 10 foot deep tank a record breaker on October 6. Mark, a lorry driver who has been diving for five-and-a-half years, said: "A British army officer was the last one to attempt the record but he had problems because he was in a chlorine swimming pool and was wearing a wet suit.

"I will be in a fresh water tank in a dry suit, which is a whole lot different."

Mark will be accompanied throughout his record attempt by volunteers who will take it in turns to keep him company.

He will hold his breath while changing air tanks and will use a full face mask and two cylinders at a time to try to grab some sleep.

He said: "I am going to a quarry in Wales to get some practice at spending a long time under water and I am confident of doing well."

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