A STUDENT from Queen's College has taken on a challenge and taken up scuba diving to help conquer his dyslexia.

Nathan Harrison’s hobby has not only helped kick-start his reading, but he has also now achieved the top Master Scuba Diver rating.

His father, Mr Jonathan Harrison, said: “Nathan tried a taster session at Queen’s and loved it.

“We couldn’t ever get him to read but he knew he had to read the background information and that started him off.

“He then joined the Scuba Scene club in Taunton and hasn’t looked back.

"He read the course manual and has gone from strength to strength.”

Nathan and his family, who live near Wiveliscombe, regularly get up at 6am on a Sunday to travel to Shepton Mallet so that he can dive in an old quarry lake.

On his first sea dive off Lundy Island, he made friends with an inquisitive seal.

“This is the highest award for pleasure diving before moving on to professional diving,” added Mr Harrison.

“This will involve teaching people to dive but Nathan can’t do that until he is 18.

“We are delighted for him – he has worked so hard.”