UK English: Is "dived" a valid word?

Proofing a manuscript, I found this in the middle of a chase scene:

Spotting an opening, I dived into it and was horrified to find it was a dead end.

Is “dived” a valid past tense of the verb “dive”? I've always used “dove”, but I'm not certain what the use is in UK English.

Cambridge shows “dived” as a valid past tense of “dive”, but which is more common? Do “dove” and “dived” have different shades of meaning, or are they used differently in different contexts?

Solution 1:

Wiktionary indicates that dived is the standard British English past tense of dive:

The past tense dove is found chiefly in North American English, where it is used alongside the regular (and earlier) dived, with regional variations; in British English dived is the standard past tense, dove existing only in some dialects. As a past participle, dove is relatively rare. (Compare Merriam-Webster Collegiate Dictionary; The American Heritage Dictionary; The Cambridge Guide to English Usage)