A galaxy of top presenters arrives in London's Docklands today in preparation for this weekend's London International Dive Show.

Having finalised their talks, films and images ready for the show's visiting thousands, they will be relaxing this evening before LIDS kicks off tomorrow at the ExCeL Exhibition Centre.

Many come hot from working on high-flying TV series. From overseas, they include environmental campaigner Jean-Michel Cousteau, whose six-part TV series, a modern equivalent of his father Jacques' marine exploration films of the 1970s and '80s, is airing in the USA; and John Chatterton and Richie Kohler who, in addition to their work as presenters of Deep Sea Detectives, have just made a programme with History Channel about new discoveries on the Titanic.

British talent includes celebrated underwater cinematographer Peter Scoones, whose amazing work is currently being aired on the BBC's
Planet Earth series (did you see those piranhas?); and Monty Halls, whose 10-part series The Great Ocean Adventure wowed British audiences recently.

Other popular diving figures lined up include cave-diver Rick Stanton (on his 90m British record), deep-divers Leigh Bishop and Teresa Telus (great liners), and technical diver Richard Lundgren (Baltic wrecks).

"We're delighted to welcome such an exciting array of speakers to LIDS 2006," said Nigel Eaton, Editor-in-Chief of DIVER Magazine, which organises LIDS as well as the autumn Dive Show in Birmingham. "The depth and range of this year's presentations - covering everything from TV diving documentaries to mind-blowing wrecks and amazing cave dives - is remarkable, even by Dive Show standards."

In the exhibition hall, visitors will find more than 250 companies offering all the equipment, holidays and dive training options you could want. And the traders are backed up by a range of specialist organisations connected with the world of diving.

These range from the Maritime & Coastguard Agency (Receiver of Wreck), HSE and RNLI to the Historical Diving Society and conservation organisations such as the Marine Conservation Society, Shark Trust and, recently famous for its valiant efforts to save one poor whale that stumbled up London's River Thames, British Divers Marine Life Rescue.

LIDS 2006, run by the Diver Group in association with the British Sub-Aqua Club, is open on Saturday from 9.30am-6pm, and on Sunday from 9.30am-5pm. Entry costs £10.50, or £2 for under-12s.

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