Wigan husband-and-wife team set to make waves at Great Northern Dive Show

A Wigan company is putting on its second Great Northern Dive Show after making a real splash last year with its first.

H2O Divers was launched two years ago when Ruth Mort and her husband Duncan turned their hobby into a business. They teach diving courses to all ages, including people with disabilities, and widely promote diving and its benefits.

They put on the Great Northern Dive Show at Event City, close to Manchester’s Trafford Centre, last year and attracted almost 3,000 visitors to the two-day event.

“This year, it’s bigger and better than ever,” explained Ruth, ahead of the event which takes place on the weekend of April 8 and 9. “We’ve learned so much and also received so much more support.”

As well as myriad stands of equipment, suppliers and holiday companies, the show has its own huge Aqua Theatre diving tank – the biggest in the world –  and mermaids giving demonstrations. There are fashion shows, comic con characters, dinosaurs and fire dancers.

There are also a variety of speakers including one of the best-known figures in British diving, Mark Powell, who spends much of his time diving wrecks around the country’s coastline. He is also the author of a definitive overview of the theory and physiology of decompression.

Added Ruth: “We had many families coming along last year to the show and this year we’ve tried to offer something for every age, and every diving fan or would-be diver.”

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