THE Southampton Diving Academy feels it has a "moral obligation" to ensure as many children in the Southampton area as possible are offered the chance to emulate Olympic hero Peter Waterfield.

Waterfield leapt to local prominence when he won a gold medal competing in the Commonwealth Games in Manchester in 2002.

But it was during the Athens Olympics last summer - when the Southampton-based Waterfield claimed a silver medal along with synchro partner Leon Taylor - that he really came of age.

Southampton County Council laid on a civic reception and open-topped bus ride for Waterfield and his coach Lindsey Fraser, the head coach at The Quays diving complex in the city.

And Waterfield's Greek heroics has had an incredible knock-on effect at grass-roots level of the sport.

"Before the Olympics we had 170 local children taking diving lessons at The Quays every week," reported Southampton Diving Academy official Anne Clewlow.

"In September, after the Olympics, we had 240 a week.

"That was a massive increase - we thought we might get 200.

"You have to say that was down to Pete. There was no other obvious reason for that sort of increase."

The Quays is recognised "as the best diving complex in the south of England" and Clewlow added: "We have a fantastic facility here in Southampton.

"We have worked incredibly hard to make sure we can cope with the increased demand, Lindsey Fraser is a great head coach and Pete is a fantastic role model for the youngsters.

"We feel we have a moral obligation to ensure as many people use the facility as possible.

"We send out flyers to every school in Southampton offering free sessions during half-terms, and we generally get a 35 per cent take-up of children taking out lessons after that.

"When I started the scheme up I thought we might get a ten per cent take-up - that was based on running out-of-school activities for junior schools.

"This facility is part of our heritage, it belongs to Southampton, and we just want people to use it. We want children to be exposed to what is a fantastic sport. If they try it and find it's not for them, that's fine - at least they have had a go."

Fraser, meanwhile, is hopeful Waterfield can impress in Sheffield this weekend.

"I am very confident that 2005 will be Peter's year with regards his individual activities," she said.

"And in 2006 I am sure he will retain his 10 metre title at the Commonwealth Games.

"He and Leon did fantastically at the Olympics last year and we're very proud of their joint achievement.

"They are both fine ambassadors for diving.

"Their silver medal has had a tremendous affect on the sport as a whole, with more and more children wanting to have a go at diving.

"Going forward, Peter and I are also working towards an individual medal in the 2008 Olympics."