A WARRINGTON teenager took the plunge to dive with sharks raising nearly £1,500 for a Lymm-based charity.
Jade Lawrence-Howard, 17, from Appleton took part in sponsored dive with sharks at Blue Planet Aquarium to raise funds for research into the rare genetic condition Kabuki Syndrome.
Her mother Joanne is a classroom assistant at Little Bollington Primary School, near Lymm, where Hannah Scales, who died from meningitis following complications caused by Kabuki syndrome, was a popular pupil.
Hannah’s family and friends have worked hard to raise funds for research.
Commenting on her dive experience Jade said: “After looking round and viewing the sharks I would be diving with, nerves set in. I didn’t realise they would be so big and how big the teeth were; I was also told the stingrays still had the barbs on.
“After I met with the Divemaster and instructor and received a briefing I felt more at ease.
“It was then time to get kitted up and for the dive to begin. This was my first time diving in salt water, and even though I had more weight than normal, I needed an extra couple of kilos to keep me on the bottom.
“The whole experience was amazing, I couldn’t believe how close the sharks and other fish came. One fish took a fancy to me and wouldn’t stop nibbling at my wetsuit, thankfully the sharks didn’t feel the same way!”
“I would highly recommend anyone to do this, as it is an experience I will never forget.”
Jade added she would like to thank all the people who supported her and is now contemplating her next charity event – possibly a skydive!
Pictures show Jade during her shark dive experience.
