London woman breaks diving record

Sara Cambell is attempting to dive 100m

A woman from London has set a new freediving world record after swimming 96m (318ft) below the surface of the ocean and back in a single breath.

Sara Campbell, 37, from Wandsworth, spent 3min 36sec submerged off an island in the Bahamas.

The dive in the Vertical Blue contest took her down the equivalent of the height of Big Ben's clock tower.

In October 2007 she smashed all world depth records within 48 hours, after only nine months in the extreme sport.

Her latest feat, is known as the constant weight world record, in which the diver must use just a monofin - a mermaid like tail - and their own power.

'Emotional journey'

She said: "This was by far the toughest world record I've earned.

"The emotional journey to 96m and back was just a formality, compared to the emotional journey of losing my mum last year, and struggling to dive in the most challenging conditions I've ever experienced here.

"I have completed only 17 training dives since I became world champion in November 2007. I'm delighted to be back."

She had been teaching yoga in Dahab, on the Red Sea in Egypt, when a student suggested she try the sport because her breathing capacity might make her "quite good" at it.

Her lungs are about 22% larger than average, but doctors have struggled to understand why her physiology makes her so successful.

She is now aiming to be the first woman to reach 100m in the constant weight discipline.

She will make the attempt at the record in four days time.