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Daily Mirror
25-05-2025
- Daily Mirror
Climber who fell 56ft and may lose legs is suing partner who 'let go of rope'
David Littlejohn, 55, suffered horrific injuries after falling down a 56 feet ravine at Avon Gorge, Bristol, and he is now suing his climbing partner Shane Williams for £1million in compensation A climber who broke his neck and may be forced to have both legs amputated blames his partner for allegedly letting go of the rope. David Littlejohn, 55, is reportedly suing Shane Williams for £1million compensation following the accident at Avon Gorge, Bristol, in May, 2023. He broke his sternum, pelvis and feet after falling down a 56 feet rock face. They were taking part in a climb known as the Arms Race when he put his weight on the rope under the impression that Mr Williams had a firm grip on it. And he claims that his climbing partner let go of the rope without telling him, with the result that he went crashing down the rock face. Two years on from the accident and Mr Littlejohn still has constant back pain, his orthopaedic surgeon reportedly told a court, and he may need to have both legs amputated if reconstructive surgery on his feet does not work out. Mr Littlejohn also claims that he suffers from anxiety and depression as well as panic attacks since his fall. Documents presented to the High Court allege that he is only able to walk using a four-wheel aid. He is also said that he trusted Mr Williams as capable as he was a member of The Climbers Club, where members must be proposed and then seconded before they can join. In the court documents he alleges that Mr Williams failed to have 'due regard for his personal safety' and act in accordance with his experience as a competent amateur climber. Mr Littlejohn, of Lymsham, near Weston-super-Mare, told The Telegraph: 'I hope this will be resolved quickly given the serious impact of my severe injuries on me, my family and my work life.' Stephanie Clarke of Stewarts Law, Mr Littlejohn's solicitor, states in the claim: 'The Defendant had let go of the rope or otherwise taken the Claimant off belay where it had not been clearly and unequivocally communicated by the Claimant as leader that this was required.' Mr Williams's legal team at Browne Jacobson solicitors have yet to file a defence against the claim with the court. The Mirror has contacted Browne Jacobson for a statement. It comes after a rock climber who plunged around 400ft down a mountain somehow hiked to his car in the dark and then drove to a pay phone to call for help. Anton Tselykh, 38, survived the ordeal against all odds as, despite suffering internal bleeding and head trauma, he staggered for more than 12 hours to the pay phone. He was desperate to call for help for his three companions; Vishnu Irigireddy, Tim Nguyen and Oleksander Martynenko, who also fell down the steep terrain in North Cascades National Park in Washington, United States. The three friends sadly died of their injuries. Anton managed to extricate himself from a tangle of ropes, helmets and other equipment to leave on his rescue mission on Saturday. He is now in hospital receiving treatment for various injuries, including the head wound.
Daily Mail
25-05-2025
- Daily Mail
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'
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.
