A scuba diver has been flown to hospital after an accident at a lake in Rochester .

The diver was training with his club this morning at St Andrews Lakes, in Halling, when the "medical incident" occurred.

The man was airlifted to St Richard's Hospital in Chichester. One of its specialisms is a hyperbaric medicine unit which provides a 24 hour on-call service for treatment of decompression illness.

A spokesman for Kent Police said: "Kent Police was called to a medical incident at a lake near Quarry Grove, Halling at 10.40am.

"Officers attended along with South East Coast Ambulance Service and the air ambulance and a man was flown to hospital for treatment.

"The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has been informed."

The HSE is a government agency responsible for regulating and enforcing workplace safety, welfare and health.

Workplace incident are reported to the HSE when there has been an injury, death or dangerous occurance.

The agency investigates the most serious incidents.

A spokesman for the South East Coast Ambulance Service said: "We were called to St Andrew’s Lakes in Halling shortly after 10.30am to reports of a diver in need of medical attention.

"Ambulance crews attended the scene and were joined at the scene by the air ambulance service.

"The man was treated at the scene before being airlifted to St Richard’s Hospital in Chichester in a serious condition. We would like to thank everyone who came to the patient’s assistance prior to our arrival."

On its website, St Andrews Lakes says it is the newest inland fresh-water scuba diving site in the UK. The water stretches for 70 acres and goes as deep as 30m.

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