LONG before scuba diving emerged as a 'serious' adventure sport, a gaggle of Oxford trailblazers plunged into the chilly waters of Farmoor Reservoir in woolly sweaters and handmade neoprene suits.

They were the founders of the Oxford Sub-Aqua Club, one of the first groups of its kind to be formed, and which this year celebrates 60 years of underwater exploration.

To mark the occasion the club opened its photo archives to share a treasure-trove of memories from some of the most famous underwater sites on Earth.

Current diving officer Chris Stevens, an Oxford University professor and member for 16 years, said: "60 years ago there were only a very small number of people diving.

"We have pictures of guys stepping into the reservoir in their woolly jumpers. Today, of course, we're very well equipped.

"We have a broad range of ages. Our oldest is in their 80s and our youngest is just four; that's actually my little lad Alfie. He's just getting his head around snorkelling."

The club was first formed in 1956 by a group of enthusiasts inspired by French underwater explorer and filmmaker Jacques Costeau.

A decade later members pitched in to help in the search for, excavation and rescue of Tudor warship the Mary Rose, which was finally raised from the Solent in 1982.

Colin Fox, a former diving officer in Oxford who joined the project in 1978, said: "When I added up all the time I spent on the Mary Rose I worked out I'd been underwater for just over a week. There were some 240 dives. It was a highlight of my life.

"We'd find all sorts of personal items like combs, shoes, wooden and pewter dishes and knife handles. A few finds were very special."

The 72-year-old, who met his wife Debbie while working on the project, was also present on the day the Mary Rose was finally lifted from the waves.

He said: "Everyone went bananas. People were shouting and screaming. It was an emotional experience; we'd never seen the whole thing in one piece before."

In the 1970s Oxford's club chairman Mick Phipps oversaw the erection of a clubhouse - a prefab bought for £30 - next to Temple Cowley Swimming Pool.

Profits from the club's bar purchased the hull of a 23ft boat, named 'Indego' and first launched on the Thames in 1976 - one of three boats built by members over the years.

Today about 70 people are active members of Oxford Sub-Aqua Club, which is now based in Hinksey Park and holds up to 30 events a year for novices.

Members also recently completed an anniversary diving expedition to Normandy, exploring the D-Day landing wrecks, and a memorial dive in Llyn Lladaw, Snowdonia in tribute to co-founder Ann Symons, who passed away in October this year aged 92.

Treasurer Andy Pickering said: "We're a family-oriented club. All my three children dive and have come down to the pool since they were just a few weeks old.

"If you can learn to dive in the UK, you can pretty much dive anywhere in the world."