Colchester man died after accidental trip in Peak District

James Alexander Ryan was pronounced dead at the scene following the tragic incident earlier this year.

Chesterfield Coroners Court heard the 65-year-old was walking with friends in the Peak District on April 8.

As he was walking down the hill towards Speedwell Cavern car park, a popular tourist attraction in the national park, he tripped and fell.

Mr Ryan, who was an audio and visual engineer, hit his head on a rock and died after suffering a “traumatic head and spinal injury”, the court ruled.

The Edale Mountain Rescue Team, which operates in the Peak District National Park and is one of the busiest mountain rescue teams in the country, rushed to the scene.

The charity said at the time they were contacted by East Midlands Ambulance Service to “reports of a walker who had fallen and was unconscious with a head injury on a footpath above Speedwell Cavern”.

They continued: “A group of friends visiting the area for the weekend were making their way off the hill when one slipped and tumbled a distance, sustaining a serious head injury during the fall.

“A couple of local team members arrived on scene at the same time as an ambulance crew and team paramedic.

“Despite the best efforts of their friends, team members and the ambulance crew, the injuries received were incompatible with life and the walker was unfortunately pronounced deceased at scene.

“After the attendance of the police the deceased was evacuated from the hillside.

“Our condolences to the family and friends of those involved.”

Derbyshire Police later confirmed the news.

A statement read: “We were called to reports a walker had tripped and suffered a head injury near Speedwell Cavern, Castleton, on Saturday evening.

“Mountain rescue and ambulance crews attended but sadly the 65-year-old man, from Colchester in Essex, was pronounced dead at the scene.”

Following the inquest, coroner Susan Evans ruled the death as accidental.