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Zip wire: Bailey Sumner's death was accident Zip wire: More regulation call after Bailey Sumner's accidental death
(about 1 hour later)
The death of an 11-year-old boy who fell from a zip wire at a Gwynedd theme park was an accident, an inquest jury has found. More regulations are needed for zip wires says a coroner, after an 11-year-old boy's death in a fall at a theme park was ruled as accidental.
Bailey Sumner from Blackpool died on Easter Sunday 2011 when he fell at Greenwood Forest Park, near Caernarfon. Bailey Sumner, from Blackpool, had been wrongly attached to rope at Greenwood Forest Park near Caernarfon on Easter Sunday in 2011, an inquest jury heard.
The Dolgellau inquest heard that a mountaineering clip had been passed through a "false loop" in the rope supporting him. The deputy coroner for north Wales said there were few regulations for zip wires and that needed to change.
Gwynedd council is investigating possible regulatory breaches. Bailey's grandfather said afterwards lessons needed to be learned.
The SwampFlyer ride had only been open a week at the time of the accident and has since been pulled down. Meanwhile, Gwynedd council is investigating possible breaches of regulations.
The 145m (475ft) SwampFlyer ride had only been open a week at the time of the accident.
It has since been dismantled.
Park owner Stephen Bristow had told the three day jury inquest that the fact the child was attached wrongly should have been spotted during safety checks.Park owner Stephen Bristow had told the three day jury inquest that the fact the child was attached wrongly should have been spotted during safety checks.
The court heard there was "top-quality equipment" at the park and staff were trained to check equipment. The coroner's court heard there was "top-quality equipment" at the park, the staff were trained to check equipment and independent experts had been brought in to help set up the zip wire.
Det Sgt Gary Williams told the hearing that Bailey became detached from some lanyards which remained on the cable. But the jury was also told that such rides do not need to be licensed and there were shortcomings on the guidance about how best to attach people.
The carabiner, a metal loop, was still attached to the loops of the harness. There is also no national body with responsibility for overseeing safety of such rides.
"It was our opinion the carabiner had been attached to the false loop and as soon as weight had been applied it became detached," he added. The inquest was told that a mountaineering clip - called a carabiner - had been passed through a "false loop" in the rope supporting Bailey.
'Look wrong' As soon as weight had been applied it became detached.
But the ride's operator Sion Richard Hughes insisted he would have spotted the error.But the ride's operator Sion Richard Hughes insisted he would have spotted the error.
In a statement read to the inquest, Mr Hughes said he had checked the harness, ropes and zip wire equipment before Bailey was launched from the ride platform down the 145m (475ft) zip wire. In a statement read to the inquest, Mr Hughes, 23, said: "I do not believe I clipped the carabiner to the wrong loop [on the harness]. I also believe I would have noticed."
"I'm certain he was connected to the right loop," said Mr Hughes, 23, who is now living in Australia.
"I do not believe I clipped the carabiner to the wrong loop [on the harness]. I also believe I would have noticed. It would just look wrong."
Bailey was given emergency first aid by a nurse and doctor, who were visiting the theme park, after he fell.Bailey was given emergency first aid by a nurse and doctor, who were visiting the theme park, after he fell.
He was airlifted to hospital in Bangor but he had suffered severe brain damage and a fractured skull and was declared dead.He was airlifted to hospital in Bangor but he had suffered severe brain damage and a fractured skull and was declared dead.
Pathologist Dr Anthony Caslin said Bailey died after suffering a brain injury due to a fractured skull following a fall from height.Pathologist Dr Anthony Caslin said Bailey died after suffering a brain injury due to a fractured skull following a fall from height.
The incident was investigated by the Health and Safety Executive and Gwynedd council, but no prosecutions have been brought against the park. After the jury returned a verdict of accidental death, deputy coroner Nicola Jones said she would be writing to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and a range of other bodies.
A Gwynedd council spokesperson said: "We are continuing to carry out investigations into possible regulatory breaches concerning the tragic incident at Greenwood Forest Park. She would ask for a wide range of changes, including licensing and guidelines on how rides should be built, staffed and equipped.
"Our officers have been carefully considering all the possible options before deciding what action is necessary. 'Good advice'
Afterwards, Bailey's grandfather Philip Lonsdale said the family did not blame the park but hoped lessons would be learned.
"I think it's very important that the government should step in and make sure that there are regulations that cover these fixed zip wires," he said.
"It's been apparent throughout that regulatory bodies and good advice has not been available from people like the HSE and all of the other regulatory bodies that should be now saying 'let's get some licensing in place, let's get some good advice in place'."
Mr Bristow said that the park has always had the highest safety standards.
"However, there is currently no specific guidance in place which relates to the circumstances which led to Bailey's death," he added.
"We therefore welcome the coroner's move to urge the HSE to consider whether specific guidance should be drafted and made publicly available for permanent zip wires to ensure a tragic accident like this doesn't happen again."
The incident was investigated by the HSE and Gwynedd council but no prosecutions have been brought against the park.
After the inquest, a Gwynedd council spokesperson said it was continuing to carry out investigations into possible regulatory breaches.
"Our officers have been carefully considering all the possible options before deciding what action is necessary," they said.
"Now that the inquest has come to an end, we will be moving forward to pursue these actions.""Now that the inquest has come to an end, we will be moving forward to pursue these actions."