Wet behind the ears... Kai, 10, takes plunge into world of diving

Kai Slatter had been studying for the exam, which he took on his birthday, for a couple of months and completed his underwater diving training with the Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI).

It is thought there is only one other child in the world – a boy in Goa, India – who has completed PADI open water diving training at the same age as Kai.

Kai’s mother, Emma Slatter, of Pontefract, said: “It is a fantastic achievement. He doesn’t realise, being just ten, what an achievement it is, and he’s taken it all in his stride.

“Kai’s wanted to have a go but had to wait until he was ten to do the training. Normally children start diving at about 14.”

Kai passed his written test with 48 out of 50 correct answers and completed his scuba dive training at a dive centre at Womersley, near Pontefract.

As soon as he had passed his exams, he had the chance to put his new skills into practice with his father Jonathan, who has been a keen diver for five years, during a holiday to Egypt.

Mrs Slatter, 36, said: “Jonathan is over the moon he doesn’t have to have strangers as diving buddies and he can now go diving with his son.

“Kai was desperate to be able to go diving with his dad. He’s a very sporty boy, really into rugby league and snowboarding, so he loves everything active.”

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