A DIVING group has made a splash after winning an award for its outstanding contribution to training.

Bolton Area Divers have received the ‘outstanding commitment to diver training’ gong from the Professional Association of Diving Instructors.

The group, which is based in Tennyson Street, Bolton and has been running for 19 years, was also ranked in the top 10 PADI scuba diving centres for the UK in 2015.

The award was presented to the group by Matt Clements, PADI regional manager, on a recent visit to the dive school.

Shereen Roberts and Matt McMinn, directors of the diving group, said they were delighted to accept the award and said they dedicated it to their professional and hard-working staff.

She said: "It was a wonderful surprise to receive the award. It is great to see that all the dedication and professionalism of our instructional team here has been recognised.

"We have over 300 club members, which a lot of very active divers. There are lots of opportunities to get out diving around the UK and abroad. We are out diving most weekends."

Despite Bolton being miles away from the nearest coastline, the group is popular

Those taking up the sport are introduced to it in swimming pools to help them gain confidence and feel more comfortable.

Once the divers have become more experienced they complete open water diver training at Capernwray in Carnforth, Lancashire.

The diving club has more than 20 instructors, assistant instructors and dive masters, and many of the staff have been trained by Bolton Area Divers from entry level through to their instructor qualification.

Shereen added: "The fact that we are an instructor development centre means we can offer high quality scuba diver training to anyone from beginner to instructor and beyond."

One of the members of the club is 11-year-old Amani Haddad, who is set to become one of the youngest people ever to complete an advanced scuba diving qualification after flying out to Jordan to complete the course.