Richard Leafe will make his first dive on Saturday at the clean-up

Richard Leafe will make his first dive on Saturday at the clean-up

The Lake District’s top boss will plumb new depths when he takes part in a record-breaking clean-up.

Richard Leafe, chief executive of the national park authority, will make his first sub-aqua dive in Windermere at the weekend as part of what organisers hope will be the biggest freshwater dive in the world.

Mr Leafe, who has a reputation as an action man, has taken part in running, cycling and swimming events, but the dive, to clean up the lake bottom, will be his first underwater venture and he admitted to some trepidation.

He said: “This is all being done for a great environmental cause, so it’s worth a little amount of nervousness.

“Keeping this lake clean is a real top priority. Windermere is such a special location.

“I know I’m in great hands and all the safety angles will be covered, but I have to admit I am out of my comfort zone on this occasion.”

More than 500 divers are expected to converge on Bowness on Saturday, meaning the lake could be hosting the biggest ever freshwater dive in the world, with participants coming to the national park from as far away as Plymouth to the tip of northern Scotland.

Bowness on Windermere, scene of the dive. Photo: Gerald England CC-BY-SA-2.0

Bowness on Windermere, scene of the dive. Photo: Gerald England CC-BY-SA-2.0

The divers, who will operate in an area from the Royal Windermere Yacht club to Ferry Nab launch jetty on the eastern shores of the lake, hope to collect debris which has accumulated on the lake bed for generations.

The rubbish will then be handed over to local schools for students to turn into sculptures and artwork which will then be auctioned off to raise money for Friends of the Lake District’s conservation work.

Mr Leafe and the other divers can take comfort in the fact that two Lake District National Park Authority rescue boats will be on hand to help if necessary.

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