An Irish diver who is resident in Malta this morning slipped below the surface to try to break the Guinness World Record for an underwater salt-water dive, but he has had to trim his target.

Organisers said 35-year-old Sean McGahern will be underwater for 30 hours, rather than 40 as originally planned, but that will still be enough to break the record, which is 24 hours. The change was necessitated by technical issues.

Mr McGahern is also using the dive to raise funds for the Aquatic Environment Protection Charity he recently set up.

He only started diving six years ago and his longest dive so far has been of 12 hours.

His record attempt is being held off the Reef Club at the Westin Dragonara Resort at a depth of 15 metres.

Mr McGahern is being kept company by a steady stream of friends. He was also playing Hangman this morning.