Divers urged to be more careful

Divers should drink plenty of fluids to help prevent the bends

Divers are being urged to take more care when exploring the waters off the Isle of Man following a spate of dangerous incidents off the coast.

The island's Hyperbaric Medical Facility treats about 30 divers a year for decompression sickness - commonly known as the bends.

But according to hyperbaracist David Downie, the department has treated seven divers in the past fortnight.

He believes the recent warm weather has encouraged more divers into the sea.

"The Isle of Man has fantastic, crystal clear waters, and the recent good weather has led to divers flocking to the coast to explore it," he said.

"Unfortunately some divers tend to overdo it - they do too many dives within a limited period of time and push themselves to the limit.

"They should always dive within the recommended table levels and make sure they drink plenty of fluids - but not alcohol - as decompression illness is exacerbated by dehydration."