7 Jul 2008:
Taking a plunge at Essex's first diving festival
SCUBA diving enthusiasts from across south Essex watched frogmen take the plunge at the county's first ever diving festival.
The Essex Festival of Diving, held at the Underwater Studios, in Archers Fields, Basildon, gave budding divers and film lovers a chance to see demonstrations on marine conservation, diving techniques and underwater film and photography.
The studios, which have a six-metre deep tank, provides training for divers, actors and rescue teams. It also doubles as a film set for Hollywood blockbusters, music videos and commercials.
Just some of the famous stars to swim in the studio's waters include Daniel Craig, training for his role of James Bond, and Essex funnyman Lee Evans.
