A former Roedean pupil has smashed the world record for free diving after plummeting to a depth of 525ft.

Tanya Streeter, 28, held her breath for three minutes to achieve the record in the Caribbean.

Tanya, 28, did the dive with no breathing equipment other than a peg on her nose.

She took up the extreme sport five years ago and started training for her attempt on the record in late July.

The depth she reached eclipsed both the previous men's world record of 505ft and the women's record of 446ft.

She reached a point 170ft deeper than the Russian submarine Kursk when it foundered.

Tanya said: "I can't think of another sport where women have surpassed men. It's quite unique.

"Breaking records is irrelevant to me. The reason I did it was about personal development, to see what I'm capable of doing."

Free divers have to deal with dramatic physiological changes to their bodies as they drop through the water.

Tanya is well aware of the dangers but said: "It really is no different from any other sport. There's just this fear element that you have to overcome.

"After all, we're not fish - we're human beings."