DETERMINED diver Mark Coleman has broken a gruelling endurance world record by spending 100 hours and 22 minutes submerged in an underwater tank.

But the extraordinary effort came at a cost for Mark as he suffered frostbite and even hallucinations as he spent five days underwater.

The 44-year-old former soldier of Pendine Close, Corringham, smashed the former record of 100 hours by spending the days in a 20ft deep tank at the Underwater Studios in Burnt Mills, Basildon.

Mark said: “God it was hard. In the end I was all over the place.

“I was hallucinating. It was like something out of the film, The Abyss.

“I was seeing weird sea creatures floating around in the tank with me.

“Also, I was in agony with my hands and feet.

“My hands especially were so sore it was like being stabbed with a thousand knives at once.”

His efforts have so far raised £10,000 for the Veterans in Acton.

* To donate visit uk.virginmoney giving.com/Markcolman