A FORMER police officer who took up scuba diving when he was no longer able to compete as a professional runner has taken the plunge into the world of guide books.

Laurie Cummins served for 31 years with Durham Constabulary, having originally trained as an electrician in Easington, where he grew up.

His athletics career was brought to an end in 1992, two weeks after notable performances in the veterans' world championships, when a doctor advised him to retire because of a knee injury.

Mr Cummins then took up diving and, since leaving the force, has been an annual visitor to the islands on the south west coast of Turkey.

There he regularly does a series of about 20 dives, and he has now written a book about them, using his own words, drawings and colour photographs, mapping out the routes.

"I only took up diving because I couldn't run any more," Mr Cummins said.

"You cannot buy a book on diving in Turkey, so I decided, seeing as I do these 20-odd dives regularly throughout the season, I would do an idiot's guide.

"I'm just waiting to get the last few photographs of fish and everything that is mentioned, then it can be finished off and published."

Mr Cummins, who lives in the Bishop Auckland area, makes the trip every year, from May to October, and says he is too busy to miss life in the force