But that didn't stop Doncaster teacher Sharon George leading four of her colleagues into a tank full of sharks in full view of 46 of their pupils!

Brave Sharon, who has already hurled herself out of a plane on a parachute jump, asked all 70 of the staff at Armthorpe School if they fancied swimming with the meat-eating predators - and most turned her down.

'The sharks didn't seem dangerous, just really graceful'

But five fearless few - teachers Sharon, Andrew Utting, Chris Smith, Gemma Thornton, and school caretaker Ian Cook - took the plunge at the Blue Planet Aquarium in Ellesmere Port, Cheshire.

Sharon came up with the plan after making a new year's resolution to do something challenging. They were all sponsored to raise money for the NSPCC's Full Stop campaign to end child abuse.

They selected most of the youngsters to make the trip with them as spectators as a reward for good behaviour in school - and they drew up a reserve list because of demand from youngsters wanting to see if their teachers came through their ordeal.

They took a training course at the aquarium and then dived into the tank which contained fearsome 10ft tiger sharks as well as lemon sharks and nurse sharks.

Sharon, aged 27, said: "There were seven or eight of the tiger sharks which were 10ft long - and that seemed pretty big when you're only 5ft 4ins tall like me!

"I think if I'm honest I was probably the most likely to back out at the last minute and when we got there I was nervous. But we had the kids there watching, so we couldn't look soft by backing out.

"I could never watch the Jaws films as a child, and I've still never seen them. I used to go and help my mum make tea to keep away if it was on the television.

"But once I got in the water I didn't feel scared - I just felt quite calm. The sharks didn't seem dangerous, just really graceful.

"Having done both now, I think I can honestly say standing in front of a class full of schoolchildren is more scary than sharing a tank of water with sharks!"

The five reckon they have raised around £1,000 for the NSPCC.

Diving instructor Guy Storey said: "Scuba diving in a tank with sharks and around 500 other species requires quite a bit of bottle, but knowing that pupils from your school are watching you do it must be really terrifying!"

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