IT WASN'T sailors but abseilers who boarded the submarine HMS Ocelot at the Historic Dockyard Chatham on Sunday.

Their mission – to raise more than £4,000, mostly for the Kent and Medway Walking Bus project but with 20 per cent of the money going to Cerebral Palsy Care at Cliffe Woods.

More than 40 people took part, but nobody was prepared for the drenching they were to get from the constant downpour. Although they were descending into the sub’s dry dock there was little that was dry about it.

First over the side of the conning tower was James Pollington, a sales manager from Chatham, who won the privilege by bidding more money than anyone else in an online auction – £360.01.

He said: "I have abseiled before from 100ft water tower, but no one has abseiled down a submarine until now. I guess it wins me a place in the history books."

James was followed by Peter Ahearne, from Beltinge, who raised the most sponsorship money – £477.

The event was organised by Simon Dolby of the Kent and Medway Walking Bus project.

He said: "The idea is to get traffic off the roads by cutting out the school run. Up to 17 per cent of traffic can be caused by parents taking children to school."

As many as 1,500 children use waking buses in Kent, and the scheme costs £70,000 a year to run. It saves more than 30,000 school-run journeys every year.

Abseil ropes were sponsored by Specsavers and Pentagon Shopping Centre.