A SCUBA diver from Stretton was part of a team to lay a wreath and raise a flag on the wreck of a First World War ship to remember the 250 crewmen who died.

Sophie Heptonstall, is a member of Hartford Sub Aqua Club and was one of a team of 10 divers who took part in the commemorative dive earlier this month on the wreck of the first ship sunk by a submarine-launched torpedo - HMS Pathfinder

The ship was off the east coast of Scotland, near St Abbs Head on September 5 1914 when the torpedo from German U-Boat 21 hit.

The aim of the dive was to take more photos and video footage of the wreck to ensure her story is recorded in more detail for future generations.

The 34-year-old, a qualified first class British Sub-Aqua Club diver and national instructor, said the technical dive was a sombre and poignant occasion.

Sophie said: “The weather was perfect, it really couldn’t have been kinder to us with the sea flat calm. Visibility was also good and it just proved to be a wonderful occasion. We were so glad to welcome John Magee, whose grandfather was the Master at Arms of the Pathfinder, and died in the disaster.

“John’s presence really drove it home to me that this was a human disaster, as all war is, and 250 men died when this one ship was sunk. We laid a wreath on the wreck and raised the Union flag above her. However, as per the terms of our Ministry of Defence license, we removed the Union flag at the end of the dive and brought it back to the surface where we presented it to John Magee.

“We held a simple service when we got back on the dive boat at the conclusion of the dive and Mr Magee gave a wonderful, touching eulogy to those that lost their lives on the Pathfinder. He then cast a wreath onto the surface of the sea as we BSAC divers did in memory of all those that died.”

The majority of the crew below the decks of the boat did not have time or the opportunity to escape and went down with the ship when it was hit.

To learn more about BSAC visit bsac.com or Hartford Sub Aqua Club visit hartfordscuba.co.uk..