A couple are swapping their work suits for diving gear as they head off to the Fiji islands.

Jayne and Andy Cowell, 35 and 38, plan to work for three months as volunteers with a coral reef protection charity - but need to raise £2,000 first.

They will be based on the island of Qalito, a two-hour ferry ride from the Fijian mainland, from September.

They will work with the Coral Cay Conservation charity, which has County Durham Professor David Bellamy as its president.

Mrs Cowell is a head of North Tees NHS Trust's information management and technology Department, and her husband is northern transport manager with the Safeway supermarket chain.

Mrs Cowell said: "I completed a leadership course recently and it made me think about what I wanted to do in the future. I realised that if I didn't try to make my dream a reality soon it would never happen."

Mr Cowell said: "It's estimated that reefs are degrading faster than data can be collected.

"It's largely due to over fishing, pollution and climate change, and 58 per cent of reefs are thought to be under threat."

The Cowells have paid their own travel expenses but need to raise £2,000 for essential diving and medical equipment to allow them to survey the coral reef.

Any organisation able to help can contact Mrs Cowell on 0774 7792603 or Mr Cowell on 0788 7221876.