Fallen Lake District paraglider meets Air Ambulance rescuers

Pilot Owen McTeggart, Paramedic Terry Sharpe, Dave Tighe and Dr Chris Smith. Credit: GNAAS

A paraglider who fell 80ft in the Lake District, and suffered life threatening injuries, has met the Air Ambulance rescuers who saved his life.

Dave Tighe, 42, was paragliding at Tarn Crag in Great Langdale in May last year, when the wing of his aircraft collapsed.

Mr Tighe, who lives in Hutton, Lancashire, broke his spine and is now over 3cm shorter.

He has little recollection of the incident but recently visited the Great North Air Ambulance Service’s Langwathby airbase to meet those that flew him to hospital, and to try and piece together what happened.

Dave Tighe paragliding. Credit: GNAAS
The Great North Air Ambulance at the scene. Credit: GNAAS

The father-of-two and his fiancée Karin Delday also handed over more than £1,500, which they raised by taking on the Village Bakery Wrexham Half Marathon in North Wales earlier this month.

Karin Delday and Dave Tighe. Credit: GNAAS

Paramedic Terry Sharpe said: “It is brilliant to see Dave looking so well. It was a real team effort between us, mountain rescue and the RAF, as well as bystanders first at the scene on the day.

“The funds raised will be used to save lives and we really appreciate their efforts.”