A BURNLEY woman with epilepsy is planning to face her fears head-on -- by diving into a tank with some of the scariest creatures in the sea.

Katherine Sutton, 20, of Brunshaw Road, took up scuba diving after her epilepsy was brought under control.

After going years without a seizure she was allowed to learn to dive and she has been given special medical permission to conquer her fears and dive with sharks, stingrays and eels to raise money for the charity Epilepsy Action.

The former pupil of St Wilfrid's School, Blackburn, who now manages Wardle Travel in St James's Street, Burnley, has admitted she is "terrified" by the challenge.

Katherine was diagnosed with epilepsy aged 12 and says the condition changed her life.

She said: "It came as a very big shock to me and my family.

"When you are growing up at school it's very hard because people look at you differently.

"You learn very quickly who your friends are by the people who will go into town with you and do things like swimming when you have to be very careful.

"Epilepsy Action helped me a lot then, mainly by calming the whole family down and giving us advice. Now I want to give something back to them so they can help other people who aren't as lucky as me in controlling their condition."

Katherine's epilepsy has now been under control, with the help of drugs, for four years, and she has fulfilled a lifelong ambition of learning to scuba dive.

She added: "When I could drive and do everything as normal the doctors agreed it was safe for me to learn to scuba dive.

"I'm terrified of doing this dive, particularly about the eels, but I really want to raise as much money as I can because then I definitely can't back out of doing it."

The dive will take place at the Blue Planet Aquarium, Cheshire Oaks, at 6pm on February 21. Anyone who wants to watch can pre-book tickets on 0151 357 8800.

To sponsor Katherine, visit Wardle Travel in St James's Street, Burnley, or call 01282 413700.