Scuba divers from Chester have captured dramatic underwater images of world’s first steam powered submarine.

The Resurgam, which sank on its maiden voyage off the coast of Rhyl in 1880, was lost for 115 years until it was found 50ft beneath the waves.

Now scuba divers from the Chester branch of the British Sub-Aqua Club, which has its national base in Ellesmere Port , are to tell its fascinating story in a TV documentary.

The Resurgam, 'I will rise again' in Latin, was built on the Wirral and is to feature in a 10-part History Channel series Combat Ships, about how technology transformed naval warfare.

Watch: Ghostly footage of the Resurgam courtesy of our sister title the Daily Post

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Scuba diver and underwater heritage expert Chris Holden, of the Chester Sub-Aqua Club based at the City Baths, is one of two licence holders of the Resurgam, giving him responsibility for helping to protect the wreck.

The 68-year-old features in the programme and said the wreck was discovered by Chester diver Keith Hurley in 1995.

He explained: “Keith was investigating what a fishing trawler had snagged in its nets and discovered it to be the wreck of the Resurgam.

“It’s believed the wreck had been pulled up by a fishing vessel and dropped in its present location or had been buried under the seabed and exposed during the excavation for a nearby pipe-line.”

The 45ft (13m) submarine was built in Birkenhead in 1879 and cost about £1,400, a small fortune by early Victorian standards. Steam powered and large enough to carry three sailors, it was designed to be able to approach an enemy vessel by stealth.

In 1880, after a successful trial in the Great Float and Egerton docks at Wallasey and Birkenhead, it set off for Portsmouth where it was to be demonstrated to the Royal Navy as the latest in Victorian naval technology.

After stopping at Rhyl for modifications, she continued her journey, before shipping water and sinking around five miles off the coast of the North Wales resort.

SAC diver Justin Owen, from Chester , has now released a gallery of dramatic never-been-seen images showing divers exploring the wreck.

Amateur photographer Justin, 42, also recorded rare video footage of the wreck, which was built and test launched in Wallasey Docks, having been designed by the Reverend George Garrett, curate of Moss Side in Manchester.

He said: “It is great to have the opportunity to dive on something that’s completely unique. It’s an archaeological relic and a lot of people don’t know it’s right on their doorstep.

“It’s quite a challenging dive as the site is exposed to the tides and bad weather and the visibility can be very poor. So it’s important to be able to record what is down there, so people can see it for themselves and learn more about it.”

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