Son speaks of family's heartache after father dies in Peak District fall

A son has described his heartbreak after his father fell to his death during a walk in the Peak District.

James Alexander Ryan, 65, was walking with friends near the Speedwell Cavern, Castleton, on Saturday when he tripped and fell.

He suffered a head injury and despite efforts by paramedics and mountain rescue teams, was pronounced dead at the scene.

The 65-year-old's son Jonathan, 28, said his family had been left shocked by his death.

He said he had spoken to his father the night before he died, and that when police arrived at the family's home in Manchester to tell them of the tragedy, they were left "in total shock".

"We are all so shocked, it hasn't really sunk in for any of us yet," he said.

"You don't expect your dad to go away and then not come home.

"They were going for two days over the Easter weekend and planned to go up to Speedwell Cavern to take some pictures and see the views. It was on the way down that he fell."

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He said the loss of his father comes just a few years after his own half-brother James died in 2017, aged 42.

"A few years ago we buried my brother and it was really hard for us all, and now will have to do it again," he said.

"For my mum, my dad is her only partner ever. They have been together for 42 years and she doesn't know what it is like to be without him."

Edale Mountain Rescue Team said they were called to the scene at around 7pm on Saturday evening, along with officers from Derbyshire Police and paramedics from East Midlands Ambulance Service.

It said: "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."

A spokesperson for Derbyshire Constabulary said: "We were called to reports that 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."

East Midlands Ambulance Service said it received a call at 6.54pm on 8 April to Speedwell Cavern in the Peak District and sent a paramedic in a car and a crewed ambulance to the incident.