Former Sheffield diver Ian Keighley has been appointed as the first Diving Development Coach at the new Corby pool in Northamptonshire. He will be funded through ASA England Talent Development.

Keighley, 25, dived to European junior standard in his teens and has been coaching at Ponds Forge for seven or eight years.

He said: ‘My aim is basically to set up a diving scheme that will hopefully produce competitive divers to junior elite level.’ A two-pronged recruitment campaign is due to start in the new year. ‘We are starting a lesson programme for beginners in January to get people involve in the sport,’ he said.

‘Beyond that we are looking at running a school talent identification programme. ‘Once we get more people and they start becoming competitive, we are looking to start a diving club.’

Diving facilities at the pool, which opened earlier this year, include a 5-metre platform, two 3-metre springboards and two 1-metre springboards.

‘With the facilities we have, the aim of the ASA and British Diving is to advertise it as a springboard centre,’ said Keighley.

‘Younger divers don’t start competing about 5 metres until they are 12 or 13.’

Anyone interested in diving in the area can contact Ian Keighley on 01536 464643 (email ian.keighley@corby.gov.uk).