A WORLD record mass dive attempt, set for the Swanage Coast this month, has been cancelled at the eleventh hour.

Organiser Jason Haiselden had worked tirelessly in a bid to smash the existing record but he was forced to pull the plug because of a lack of willing divers.

Jason, who wanted to entice 3,000 scuba divers to Swanage Bay, said: “I am naturally disappointed, however we’re not going to give up and will endeavour to put the event on next year.

“Without full support from the diving community we cannot ensure that our chosen charities will make enough out of it.

“Next year we can pull out all the stops and make it huge.”

The current world record of 2,486 divers in the water at the same time was set by the Indonesian Navy in 2009.

Jason aiming to make £150,000 for charity with his 3,000 divers attempt and it looked set to be another major event for Swanage.

During his preparations, Jason found himself embroiled in a race against Egyptian dive experts, who announced their own mass dive record bid days after the Swanage attempt became public knowledge.

However, this Egyptian attempt – originally set for the end of July – was also cancelled at the last minute.

But it is understood that the Egyptians will also be trying again next year – so the race to enter the record books is back on.

Jason, who runs an online Liveaboard booking system company called ScubaClick, hadn’t dived much off the Purbeck coast before moving to the area.

“However, I completely appreciate just how good the diving is here in Swanage,” he added.

“It has a great reputation in the UK with the dive community.

“The environment off the Jurassic Coast and Purbeck in particular is just a dream.”