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Pamela Gower named as 'failed parachute' victim Pamela Gower named as 'failed parachute' victim
(about 2 hours later)
A parachutist who crash landed and died when her chute failed to open "lived life to the full", her cousin has said. A woman who died after crash landing in a housing estate when it is thought her parachute failed to open "lived life to the full", her cousin said.
Pamela Gower, 49, Hebburn, South Tyneside, died on Saturday after what was her first skydive in the UK, Durham Police said. Pamela Gower, 49, Hebburn, South Tyneside, died after her first UK skydive, Durham Police said.
She was found in a cul-de-sac close to the airfield at Shotton Colliery, from where her plane had taken off. She was found on Saturday in a road close to the airfield at Shotton Colliery where her plane had taken off.
Her cousin Anthony Cairns, who paid tribute to her Facebook, said: "We will all always love you so much." Her cousin Anthony Cairns' Facebook tribute said: "We will all always love you so much."
Det Insp Dave Cuthbert said: "This is a tragic incident. The lady who has died was using her own equipment and was making her first sky-dive in this country, having previously made parachute jumps abroad.Det Insp Dave Cuthbert said: "This is a tragic incident. The lady who has died was using her own equipment and was making her first sky-dive in this country, having previously made parachute jumps abroad.
"We will be working with the HSE and the British Parachuting Association to establish why this tragedy happened.""We will be working with the HSE and the British Parachuting Association to establish why this tragedy happened."
Miss Gower, who had dwarfism, was an employment advisor at Remploy's Newcastle branch and supported disabled people into work.
A Remploy spokesman said: "We are shocked and deeply saddened to hear of Pam's tragic accident.
"She had worked for the company for many years and was a valued and respected member of the Remploy team."
'Not screaming''Not screaming'
The coroner has been informed and a post-mortem examination is due to be carried out.The coroner has been informed and a post-mortem examination is due to be carried out.
It is understood residents carried out CPR before paramedics arrived at the scene, where Ms Gower had landed close to a car at about 15:45 BST.It is understood residents carried out CPR before paramedics arrived at the scene, where Ms Gower had landed close to a car at about 15:45 BST.
One witness, who did not want to be named, said seeing parachutists was not unusual, but this jump - involving a group of parachutists - had made him look up. One witness, who did not want to be named, said it did not look like the woman was moving and he thought she was unconscious.
He said it did not look like the woman was moving and he thought she was unconscious.
"She was not screaming," he said. "All I can see is her spinning like a top.""She was not screaming," he said. "All I can see is her spinning like a top."
He did not see the impact, but said he later saw her on the ground as people tried to help her, after she appeared to have suffered a serious head injury. He did not see the impact, but said she appeared to have suffered a serious head injury.