Norfolk's 'underwater paradise' captured during heatwave

An array of underwater delights have been captured by photographer Chris Taylor

An underwater photographer captured the beautiful world under the surface of the Norfolk sea during the heatwave.

Photographer Chris Taylor said the temperature of the water was perfect "for cooling off, but not so cold as to make you yelp".

He has been snorkelling since he was 15 years old and has been photographing around Sheringham for five years.

Home to a variety of marine life, he described it as being an "underwater paradise".

After temperatures in the town reached the high 30-degrees Celsius last Monday, Mr Taylor took to the sea on his first snorkel on the chalk reef this year.

"From the air you could be looking at the Caribbean with crystal clear, azure seas and sandy beaches," Mr Taylor said

He has previously photographed the Sheringham Snorkel trail, formed on top of a disused Victorian sewage pipe, and said it did not "disappoint" during this week's hot weather.

Since he has been photographing the reef, he said he had not noticed any differences in the underwater landscape and it remained a "thriving and healthy ecosystem".

Last Monday's snorkelling adventure was Mr Taylor's first of the year on the chalk reef

He said: "It's an underwater paradise and a great escape, even if for just half-an-hour."

The Marine Conservation Society said the Norfolk coast was home to the longest chalk reef in Europe.

The reef itself was recognised as a designated Marine Conservation Zone in 2016, with beaches in the East awarded Blue Flags.

The Marine Conservation Society believes the Norfolk chalk reef to be the longest in Europe

Mr Taylor said "crystal clear, azure seas and sandy beaches" made the coastline resemble the Caribbean on hot days.

He said: "So many people stand on the shoreline or go for a paddle and have no idea what's literally just feet from their feet."

The Norfolk reef was described as being full of multicoloured seaweed, sponges and sea anemones

The Marine Conservation Society says on its website that ocean ecosystems that regulate our climate are under threat due to climate change.

It says the ocean can help make significant emissions cuts if we rewild large swathes of the seabed.

"Blue lobsters, many species of crab, wrasse, shimmering schools of whitebait and a critically endangered European eel" were found living in the Norfolk sea