Experienced climber who broke his neck and may need both legs amputated sues partner 'who let go of rope and sent him plummeting 56ft into a ravine'

Daily Mail​

25-05-2025

A climber who broke his neck and may need to have both his legs amputated following a terrifying fall blames his partner for his horrific injuries.
David Littlejohn, 55, says fellow climber Shane Williams let go of his rope at a crucial moment, sending him plummeting down a 56ft rock face in the Avon Gorge, Bristol.
Littlejohn is now suing Williams for £1 million in compensation after he also broke his sternum, pelvis, and feet during the ordeal in May 2023, The Telegraph reported.
Mr Littlejohn claimed he was under the impression Mr Williams had a firm hold of the rope when he put his weight on it while taking part in a climb known as the Arms Race.
But he said Mr Williams released the rope without informing him, causing him to fall into a deep ravine.
Despite the accident happening two years ago, Mr Littlejohn still faces a long road to recovery.
He suffers from constant back pain and may have to have both of his legs amputated if reconstructive surgery on his feet is unsuccessful, his orthopaedic surgeon told the court.
Mr Littlejohn also claims to have experienced anxiety, depressed mood, irritability, and panic attacks following the fall.
He said he believed Mr Williams to be a competent climber as he was a member of The Climbers Club - a climbing association where members have to be proposed and seconded before they can join.
In documents lodged with the High Court, Mr Littlejohn alleged Mr Williams negligently failed to have 'due regard for his personal safety' and failed to act in accordance with his experience as a competent amateur climber.
The documents claim he is able to walk with a four-wheeled walker, but struggles with stairs and basic daily tasks.
The lawsuit comes just weeks after another terrifying rock climbing accident where a man miraculously survived a terrifying 400ft plunge that killed his three friends.
Anton Tselykh, 38, had been climbing in Washington's North Cascades mountains when the anchor his group were tethered to gave way, sending them all plummeting down the rock face.
Speaking from a hospital bed in Seattle, Tselykh recounted how the men fell for about 200 feet into a slanted gulch and then tumbled another 200 feet before coming to a stop.
He described losing consciousness for several hours before waking up in the dark surrounded by a tangle of ropes and gear.
Despite sustaining serious injuries, he fought for eight hours to free himself before working his way down the rough terrain of rock and snow to his car.
He then drove to a nearby town to call for help, he told Cristina Woodworth, who leads the sheriff's search and rescue team.
The four climbers were friends, some of whom had climbed together before and appeared fairly experienced, Woodworth said, adding that Tselykh was 'obviously very much affected by this.'
The climbers killed were Vishnu Irigireddy, 48, Tim Nguyen, 63, and Oleksander Martynenko, 36, the Okanogan County coroner said.