Members of Nottinghamshire Police’s Underwater Search Unit, past and present, will reunite next week.

It was formed in 1956 and former team members will reunite with the current unit, which is made up of 10 officers, on Tuesday (June 15).

The team works primarily in Nottinghamshire and supports seven other forces - Northants, Leicestershire, Derbyshire, Staffordshire, West Midlands, West Mercia and Warwickshire.

·     Searching buildings and open spaces for bombs and preparing for VIP visits

·     Identifying victims of disasters such as plane crashes and natural disasters

·     Dealing with chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear incidents

·     Working in combined spaces, including drains, sewers and other hazardous environments

·     Rescuing people from floodwaters or dangerous flowing water.

PC Paul Easter, Dive Team Leader, said: “Today our divers have a variety of roles and carry out searches often in appalling conditions. Our job includes recovering weapons and property and assisting in a range of investigations.

“With advances in forensics, such as DNA, the recoveries we make can often represent key advances in complicated investigations and may be the final piece in the jigsaw.”

The team will explain to their predecessors how the role has progressed and showcase their latest equipment, including a purpose-built dive lorry.

The reunion will be held at 6.30pm on tonight (15th June) at Newark Marina.