A Tolworth scuba diving club has celebrated its 60th anniversary.

The Kingston and Elmbridge branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) opened in February 1955, with just half a dozen members hiring a small meeting venue at a YMCA club.

Club president Gerry Hassell joined the group at the age of 18 in 1963 and after 52 years, he is now the longest serving member at 70 years old and even met his wife Gill at the club.

Mr Hassell said: "When I first started diving we made our own single skin 3mm wetsuits and dived with twin hose regulators with no non-return valves in and no buoyancy aids.

"Nowadays we use drysuits, buoyancy aids and sophisticated regulators and of course rebreathers.

"Safety standards have improved immensely and everyone now receives comprehensive training.

"When I first started diving you were literally thrown in the deep end."

He added his proudest moment was winning a Duke of Edinburgh award in 1969 for the club’s marine research into the amphitheatre off the tip of Selsey, with the reward being a trip to Buckingham Palace to pick up the award.

The club now has 85 members who enjoy regular underwater explorations as well as weekly meetings at the clubhouse in Hook Rise South.

The BSAC is the national governing body for scuba diving and is made up of 120 dive centres and 1,000 plus family friendly and sociable clubs, run by volunteers, up and down the country and abroad.

Mary Tetley, BSAC chief executive, said: "We offer our warmest congratulations to Kingston and Elmbridge BSAC on reaching their 60th anniversary."