A THATCHAM man hopes to enter the world record books in bizarre fashion, by attempting to iron several metres underwater.
Declan Daly, of Shakespeare Road, will be among more than 100 divers taking part in a sponsored extreme ironing event on Saturday (January 10).
The challenge sees those involved swim underwater with ironing boards before simultaneously ironing a chosen garment.
The divers will earn a place in the Guinness Book of Records if they turn up in anticipated numbers and raise important funds for the RNLI.
Mr Daly said: “It sounded really stupid, so that’s why I thought it was for me. I’m not an extreme sports fan but if you don't live on the edge of life you take up too much space, you have got to have some fun. I usually only use the iron if I’m desperate and this is not going to encourage me to use it more, but I’m looking forward to it.”
Forty-two-year-old Mr Daly, a keen diver who has swum with the Newbury Sub-Aqua Club, chose the challenge after hearing about it from a friend.
The activity has grown in recent years, with events including rock climbing, where competitors carry ironing boards as they ascend, and even a world championship organised.
Held at the vast National Diving Centre in Chepstow and simulating the conditions of outdoor scuba diving, entrants will swim out holding their ironing boards and irons.
After swimming through the water, contestants will plunge to various depths between 12-70 metres and land on the ‘sea bed’.
They will then unfold ironing boards and together on a signal jointly ‘iron’ their chosen garments.
Staff at Opperman Mastergear in Hambridge Lane, where Mr Daly works as a purchasing manager, have already donated money to his chosen charity, the RNLI.
The current ironing record is held by 72 Australians, although it is hoped about 130 UK divers will take part in this attempt and Mr Daly is looking forward to playing his part.
He adde: “When the Aussies win at anything sporty they have great fun letting people know about it. So I hope to have a smug smile if we thrash them.
"The RNLI is self-funded so anything that helps them is good and it should be a lot of fun.”
Anyone wanting to sponsor Mr Daly can phone 01635 811516.