Usually used by those who explore life beneath the seas, snorkels could now be used to save lives in the island.

About 100 snorkels have been collected by the Discover Diving centre, run by Dr Michelle Haywood, for use by patients who need hospital treatment for Covid-19.

The specially adapted snorkels were tested by doctors and nurses at Noble’s Hospital this week and have proved a success.

Dr Haywood said: ’The system works well to deliver oxygen at high level to the wearer, with minimal carbon dioxide retention, and the exhaust gases filtered to remove viral particles.’

Some of the masks were tested by nurse Kate Teare and consultant anaesthetists Dr Sivakumar Balasubramanian and Dr David Highley.

The masks have been donated by divers from across the island, with so many being donated,that Dr Haywood has stopped collecting them while the ones they have are prepared for use.

She added: ’Thank you to all the Manx engineering firms who pulled out the stops to get the design of the adaptor right and to get the adaptors made.

’We have designed a second version of the adaptor to increase the brands of mask we can use.

’We hope to release the printing files soon. We are in contact with other UK hospitals to advise them on how to get this to work.’

The donation of masks was welcomed by Health and Social Care Minister David Ashford who said the equipment ’could make a huge difference to any high oxygen dependency patients.’

Initially trialled in Italy, snorkel masks are used for high dependency oxygen patients and can cope with high pressure oxygen which many ordinary oxygen masks can’t.