Yorkshire skydiver crashed into roof of house like 'scene from a cartoon'

A Yorkshire skydiver who crashed into the roof of a house is "lucky to be alive" after he was left suspended from the ground and dangling from his harness on a television aerial in scenes resembling a cartoon.
By Lucy Leeson
Published 2nd Jan 2020, 11:45 BST
Darren Crumpler, 51, had taken up skydiving as a hobby after his wife Emma bought him a parachuting experience as a gift.Darren Crumpler, 51, had taken up skydiving as a hobby after his wife Emma bought him a parachuting experience as a gift.
Darren Crumpler, 51, had taken up skydiving as a hobby after his wife Emma bought him a parachuting experience as a gift.

Darren Crumpler, 51, had taken up skydiving as a hobby after his wife Emma bought him a parachuting experience as a gift.

He was just three jumps away from getting his full sky dive licence when disaster struck one day in July, last year.

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Mr Crumpler, from Catterick, North Yorkshire, was left dangling from a television aerial on a house with multiple broken bones and in excruciating pain following the crash at Shotton Colliery, County Durhan.

Darren Crumpler, 51, had taken up skydiving as a hobby after his wife Emma bought him a parachuting experience as a gift.Darren Crumpler, 51, had taken up skydiving as a hobby after his wife Emma bought him a parachuting experience as a gift.
Darren Crumpler, 51, had taken up skydiving as a hobby after his wife Emma bought him a parachuting experience as a gift.

His parachute got tangled on the house and the impact left him with an open fracture to his ankle, a shattered heel, broken femur, an open elbow fracture, broken pelvis, a spinal injury and a cut to his head.

The Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS) was called out and medics flew him to the James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough, where he stayed for 10 weeks.

Mr Crumpler was told he faced a long and uncertain recovery, so he well remembered the moment he discovered that he would walk again.

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He said: "When I was able to sit up and dangle my legs off the bed, I just burst into tears.

Darren Crumpler, 51, had taken up skydiving as a hobby after his wife Emma bought him a parachuting experience as a gift.Darren Crumpler, 51, had taken up skydiving as a hobby after his wife Emma bought him a parachuting experience as a gift.
Darren Crumpler, 51, had taken up skydiving as a hobby after his wife Emma bought him a parachuting experience as a gift.

"Not because of the pain, but because it was so emotional as I honestly didn't believe I would ever be able to walk again.

"I was so scared as I had no indications of what my abilities would be.

"Now I just want to push myself and carry on, but I know I need to be patient."

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Mr Crumpler's story is featured on this Sunday's Emergency Helicopter Medics, on the More4 TV channel.

GNAAS paramedic Paul Burnage attended the incident, and said: "Mr Crumpler was up against the gable end wall and was hanging by his harness with his parachute still attached and caught around the TV aerial.

"It looked like something from a cartoon but was clearly a very serious incident and one which he was lucky to survive."

Mr Crumpler, who served in the Army, thanked the ambulance medics, saying: "I have absolutely no words for what I think about GNAAS. I am unbelievably grateful.

"What they do is extraordinary. My wife and I tell everyone about them."

Related topics:North YorkshireMiddlesbroughTV aerial