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Paraglider killed in camping trip crash near Pilling | |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A paraglider has died after crashing in a field during a camping get-together with fellow flyers. | |
Ben Jones, 37, had been flying with friends in the village of Pilling, Lancashire, when the crash happened on Sunday morning. | |
Paramedics and an air ambulance were called but Mr Jones, of Preston, could not be saved, Lancashire Police said. | |
The force said inquiries were continuing but the crash was not thought to be suspicious. | |
Fellow paraglider John White paid tribute to his "intelligent, happy, outgoing" friend, who enjoyed a version of the sport known properly as paramotoring. | |
"He was a real Mr Gadget. He was always tinkering with something," the 45-year-old said. | |
"Because it's a very small community we all know each other. In this sport, you've got to have an unusual character. But unusual in a good way." | |
Mr White, of Blackburn, had been camping with Mr Jones and a group of other friends at the weekend. | |
He told how the group went to search for Mr Jones after realising he had not come in to land as expected during a flight early on Sunday. | |
"He was out of sight and we went to the edge of the field and still couldn't see him," he said. | |
"We got on mountain bikes and had a ride around, not thinking anything had happened. We were expecting him to just come walking over." | |
He said the group then discovered Mr Jones unconscious, and one of the group attempted CPR. | |
"He had no pulse and wasn't breathing," Mr White continued. | |
"The one thing we can be really grateful for is we found him really quickly, even though the outcome wouldn't have been any different. It would've been a horrible thought to think we could've done more." | |
The British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association has launched an investigation. |