A gran celebrated her 80th birthday by scuba diving on a sunken WWI battleship – 115ft underwater.
Pat Fung explored the wreckage of the SMS Kronprinz Wilhelm which was scuttled by the Germans to stop Britain seizing the ship post-war.
Gran-of-five Pat, who is a member of British Sub-Aqua Club’s Bristol Diving Club, began scuba diving aged 67 after snorkelling while on holiday in the Maldives.
She said: “I probably had more fun on my 80th birthday than I did on my eighth or my 18th.”
The former university lecturer has also dived in Mexico, the Caribbean and Egypt since reaching the milestone on – and is now a licensed instructor.
Pat added: “I just love being underwater.
“I love the peacefulness it’s really beautiful, the marine life and the feeling of weightlessness.
“Even at my age you don’t feel you have flexibility but underwater you are free.
“It’s like being a bird, being able to fly.
“You can look around and peer into habitats and have a look at what the fish are up to. It’s magical.
“I have been able to dive the Yucatan Cenotes at Tulum in Mexico, Scapa Flow in Scotland, the Red Sea in Egypt which I’ve never been to before, and Malaysian Borneo, as well as our usual dives off the south coast around Dorset.”
SMS Kronprinz was one of four German ships – the High Seas Fleet – captured and the crews were imprisoned at Scapa Flow, Orkney, Scotland while Armistice negotiations took place.
But fleet commander Rear Admiral Ludwig von Reuter ordered for the ships to be sunk – and Kronprinz was the only vessel not raised for scrapping.
