A TENBURY veteran will be making his second attempt to claim an underwater diving endurance World Record and four charities will benefit by hopefully £1million.

Ex-Royal Engineer Mark Colman, 49, will be attempting the feat in June 2017, exactly five years to the day since he unofficially broke the record.

Unfortunately he was not able to provide the necessary proof to Guinness World Records even though he spent four days, four hours and 22 minutes underwater in 2012.

His next attempt will raise funds for Lancashire-based Veterans In Communities, Pilgrim’s Bandits, Inspired Youth in Canada and Soldiers off the Streets.

He said: “I am 50 next year and so this is my last chance to get the record. I want to stay underwater for five days. Guinness allows a five minute break every so often with an endurance challenge, but I want to stay in the water the whole time.

“I won’t be able to sleep while I am in the water and I will have my food specially created and I will eat it by using a straw.

“The last time I did it, when I came out of the water I had had no sleep for four days, I was hallucinating, falling over and my hands were absolute agony.

“When I said I was going to do this the first time people said I was crazy, now I am even crazier.”

Mark will complete the record attempt at the Underwater Studio in Essex, his home county.

The father of four and grandfather of three served for 10 years in 23 Engineer Regiment at Osnabruck in Germany.

He was fine when he came out of the army, but in 2010 he found himself bringing up one of his daughters alone, his licence to be a close-protection operative had expired and he got into trouble with the police.

At one stage, Mark and his daughter were living in a 40ft container behind a pub.

Mark also suffered two personal tragedies, the death of a friend in a diving accident and the loss of his sister. He was struggling until he met Veterans In Action and the charity helped him cope with all his traumatic life experiences.

“This is my chance to get off my backside,” said Mark. “I moved to the West Midlands in 2012, I have work here and life is good.

“I am at the right point in my life to make another attempt at the record, which is currently four days and four hours.”

Mark is originally from Hornchurch in Essex. He used to be a commercial diver and even took part in an underwater pool match.

“I want to raise money for good causes,” said Mark. “I am one of those people that if they say they are going to do something I want to do it.”

The world record attempt will take place on June 18, 2017 in Essex.

To follow Mark’s progress check out his blog https://worldrecorddive2012.wordpress.com/page/2/ or his Facebook group World Record Dive Challenge 2017.