Latest news with #waterfall
The Guardian
4 days ago
- General
- The Guardian
Anger as Dorset estate withdraws public entry to ‘stunning' local landmark
For decades the lake and waterfall on the Bridehead Estate in Dorset have brought joy to visitors who used the permissive path to access a scene of pastoral loveliness that could have come straight from the pages of a Thomas Hardy novel. But there was melancholy – and anger – among the hundreds, possibly thousands, who made final pilgrimages to the village of Littlebredy this week after it was announced that access to the public was being halted from 2 June. 'Coming here is like going back in time to the 1950s or 60s when life was much easier and simpler,' said Caroline Lewis, from Weymouth, a retired civil servant and teacher who has been visiting for half a century. 'It's beautiful and peaceful. I have lots of happy, peaceful memories here. It's serene and soothing, and it seems selfish to close it off.' Landscape photographer Rachel Baker has been visiting for 10 years. 'I first stumbled on it when we did a day trip to west Dorset and stopped off in Littlebredy on our way home. It was such a beautiful, tranquil spot with hardly a human in sight. 'The waterfall is particularly stunning at autumn as it is framed by a Japanese maple, and the leaves go from golden yellow to a deep red. It became a bit of a pilgrimage to visit and photograph the waterfall every autumn. 'It feels a tremendous shame that the access that has been given to the public for so many years is being taken away.' Kevan Manwaring, a university lecturer in creative writing, said it was culturally important. Hardy knew this area well, thus one of the main characters in his novel Jude the Obscure was named Sue Bridehead. The artist David Inshaw painted the cricket pitch on the estate in the 1970s and, more recently, the waterfall was used as a setting for a crime scene in the television show Broadchurch. Manwaring said: 'We should be encouraging people to spend more time in nature, not less.' The history of the estate stretches back centuries. According to an information notice in the village church, St Michael and All Saints, the 'bredy' in 'Littlebredy' comes from a Celtic word meaning to throb or boil, thought to be a reference to the stream. For more than 400 years, the estate was owned by Cerne Abbey until the dissolution and at the end of the 18th century, it was bought by Robert Williams, whose family grew rich from furniture making, banking – and a stake in the East India Company. The stream was damned to create Bridehead Lake. Acer, tulip trees and pines were planted and at the western end of the lake, and water spilled out into the mossy waterfall. The house and estate were passed down through the Williams family and villagers and visitors were given access to the lake and waterfall in exchange for a donation to the village church. Over the years, people have scattered ashes of loved ones – and pets – at the site. Last year the 16-bedroom house and 2,000-acre estate came on to the market with a guide price of £30m. Country Life described it as a 'joyous home, full of surprises'. The house and estate is believed to have sold quickly. The identity of the new owner has not emerged but a notice saying that 'permissive access will be withdrawn as of Monday 2 June 2025' appeared on a fence beside the path. The Right to Roam campaign has said it will challenge and 'defy' the ban. Nadia Shaikh, from the campaign, said: 'Bridehead's beauty and tranquillity should continue to be accessible to all, not locked away behind estate gates. This landscape is more than just scenery – it's part of the cultural and natural heritage of Dorset, intertwined with local identity and community life. 'This closure epitomises the precarious nature of public access to the countryside across England. It is part of a growing trend of micro-enclosures and the paywalling of the countryside. The government urgently needs to pass new legislation to protect access to places like Bridehead and extend access to the countryside elsewhere.' Shaikh said the estate's history was 'deeply tied to colonial exploitation' through the East India Company, adding: 'Maintaining public access is a positive step toward accountability, community healing, and celebrating a more inclusive, shared heritage.'
Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Hiker suspended 150 feet from a helicopter after plummeting into a waterfall in Northern California
A hiker who fell 30 feet down a waterfall and into a pool in Butte County had to be harnessed to the end of a 150-foot rope and pulled out by a helicopter over the Memorial Day weekend, according to authorities. The hiker, who was not identified by authorities, suffered serious injuries and could not be reach by ambulance in time, rescuers said. The man was hiking with friends near Feather River Canyon and Camp Creek Falls — near the site of the 2018 Camp fire — when he tried to take a photo of the waterfall and slipped, according to authorities. The hiker fell onto the granite rocks and over the edge of the waterfall, down a 30-foot drop into the pool below, according to Kevin Soukup, a spokesperson for Butte County Sheriff's Search and Rescue. The rescue team responded to the incident in Pulga and when they saw he had sustained serious injuries, decided to rely on a helicopter for the rescue. The injured man, who was conscious at the time, was put into a harness and flown while attached to the helicopter with the 150-foot rope, Soukup said. The man was flown to a landing zone near Cresta Power House and transferred to Enloe FlightCare for further medical care. The entire helicopter trip took between 30 seconds and a minute. Read more: This cliffhanger video from Riverside County has a happy ending "This is the riskiest type of rescue that you do," Soukup said. "Just by nature, helicopters are dangerous. Anytime someone suffers a traumatic injury, you look at the risk and reward and getting them out as quickly as possible via the helicopter was the right decision to make." The road getting out of the area is about three miles and an ambulance wouldn't have made it in time, Soukup said. Anytime there is a traumatic injury, if the journey is more than a 30-minute drive, you have to fly them there, he said. The rescue was a joint operation with Cal Fire and Butte County Fire. Sign up for Essential California for news, features and recommendations from the L.A. Times and beyond in your inbox six days a week. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
Free Malaysia Today
27-05-2025
- General
- Free Malaysia Today
Lata Kinjang waterfall lifeblood of Orang Asli
Lata Kinjang waterfall, one of the highest in Southeast Asia, is located about 18km from Tapah town. (Bernama pic) TAPAH : Cascading from a height of about 850m, Lata Kinjang waterfall – one of the highest waterfalls in Southeast Asia – is clearly visible when travelling along the north-south highway, beckoning road users to pause to take in its natural beauty before continuing their journey. Located about 18km from Tapah town, this multi-tier waterfall flows swiftly from the peak of the Titiwangsa range. Yet, it is more than just a scenic attraction – it holds deep significance for members of the Semai Orang Asli community, who have inhabited the area for nearly a century. According to Rani Ulin, the 'tok batin' or head of Kampung Orang Asli Lata Kinjang, the waterfall has been a lifeline for his community since their forefathers settled there in the 1930s. 'For four generations, many of our activities have centred around the waterfall. We gather forest produce, carry out farming and fishing activities, and make use of the various natural resources available around the falls. 'The waterfall remains the heart of our livelihood. As long as it continues to flow beautifully, so, too, will our spirit,' he said when met by Bernama recently. Rani Ulin. Rani explained that 'lata' means 'waterfall', while 'kinjang' refers to a type of deer. These symbolise the harmony of nature, which has remained well preserved in Lata Kinjang despite its relative proximity to Perak's capital, Ipoh. Now known as Taman Eko Rimba Lata Kinjang, the area has been under the management of the local Orang Asli community since February 2022 through Lata Kinjang Orang Asli Cooperative Bhd. The cooperative was established to improve the livelihoods of the indigenous community here. So far, it has provided jobs to 25 villagers. 'We're very happy to offer job opportunities to the youths here,' Rani said. 'They no longer need to migrate elsewhere to earn a living. Instead, they can serve and develop their own village. 'It's not just about providing employment; we've also become more confident in competing in the tourism sector. Tourism has become a major catalyst for our village economy.' Rani hopes tourists and other visitors will help protect Lata Kinjang's natural environment, which has remained well preserved despite its proximity to Ipoh. (Bernama pic) Rani, who is also the secretary of the cooperative, hopes his community will continue to receive support from relevant parties so that Lata Kinjang remains a natural treasure for future generations. 'We want the younger ones to feel proud of their ancestral land. As long as we can preserve the beauty and heritage of Lata Kinjang, there will always be opportunities for future generations to enjoy and benefit from it. 'We hope tourists and everyone who visits Lata Kinjang will help protect its natural environment. Development is important, but balance and sustainability are the keys to ensuring that Lata Kinjang continues to provide benefits in the future.'
Daily Mail
17-05-2025
- Daily Mail
Seconds from disaster: From a last wedding snap in a doomed helicopter to a selfie moments before a deadly twister - the stories behind haunting final images
They are photographs that freeze time, images captured in a heartbeat now immortalised as eerie memorials to lives lost. From smiling selfies to candid snaps, these final photos of people taken mere moments before their deaths are as haunting as they are heart-wrenching. Some show couples in high spirits, laughing with loved ones and enjoying holidays, unaware of the cruel twist fate was about to deliver. Others appear unsettling in hindsight with shaking helicopters and locations that would later become scenes of unimaginable tragedy. In one chilling case, a grinning newly-wed husband and wife were pictured leaving their reception just moments before they were mowed down by a drunk driver. The bride died instantly. Just earlier this week, a TikTok beauty influencer was shot dead during a livestream after a gun-wielding motorbike rider sped past her salon and blasted her three times in the head and chest. Last month, a couple posted a tragic last selfie on social media just moments before they were killed by a twister at a Brazil waterfall. These pictures – collected from archives, families, and online sources – are more than just macabre curiosities. They're painful reminders of life's fragility, the randomness of death, and the poignant beauty of a moment frozen in time. Behind every image lies a story, a family in mourning, and a life cut short. Bride in chopper before fatal crash on way to wedding A bride was killed minutes before her wedding when the helicopter taking her to the altar as a surprise for her husband-to-be crashed just a few miles from the ceremony. Rosemere do Nascimento Silva, from Sao Paulo, Brazil, was killed in December 2016 along with three others - the pilot Peterson Pinheiro, her brother Silvano Nascimento da Silva, and a photographer, Nayla Cristina Neves, who was six months pregnant. The 32-year-old's fiancé, Udirley Damasceno, was left waiting at the wedding venue unaware of what she was planning to do, or of the fatal air crash. Footage of the moment the helicopter went down, released as part of the investigation into the crash, was shared online by local news channels. In the clip, the beautiful bride looks happy and excited as she looks out of the window of the Robinson 44 helicopter. But when an alarm goes off and the picture begins to shake, the doomed helicopter passengers can be heard screaming in panic. The camera smashes but continues to record after it hits the ground with a huge impact. The distraught bridegroom was told the news at the altar by the pastor and was said to have gone into total shock. There were 300 guests at the wedding but only about six of them knew about the surprise. The helicopter crashed about a mile from the wedding venue in a forest area near a main road. The journey would normally have taken just 15 minutes. Eight fire engines rushed to the scene but nothing could be done to save the four occupants. Bride and groom mowed down by drunk driver on wedding day A newlywed bride was killed and the groom left in critical condition after they were hit by a speeding drunk driver when they left their wedding reception in a golf cart in 2023. Samantha Miller, 34, and Aric Hutchinson, 36, celebrated their nuptials moments before they were allegedly rear-ended by Jamie Komoroski, 25, at Folly Beach, South Carolina. Heartbreaking pictures showed the happy couple moments before tragedy struck, beaming as they were waved off by their guests with sparklers. The 'sweet' newlyweds and two other occupants of the buggy were inside the vehicle when it rolled several times over 100 yards, killing the bride instantly. Komoroski was allegedly traveling at 65mph in a 25mph zone and was drunk behind the wheel of a rented Toyota Camry, according to Folly Beach Police. Aric was left in critical condition, and immediately after the incident it was unclear whether he knew his wife had died, as he had been in a critical condition since the crash. Samantha and Aric were being escorted by his brother-in-law Ben Garrett and nephew Brogan when they were also allegedly hit by Komoroski. Ben was seriously injured. Komoroski was the sole occupant of the vehicle when she rear-ended the cart and was charged with three counts of felony DUI resulting in great bodily harm or death and one count of reckless homicide. TikTok star shot dead by motorbike-riding gunman while live streaming A Mexican beauty influencer was brutally murdered in May this year while live streaming to her followers after a motorbike-riding gunman opened fire on her salon. Footage shows the horrific moment 23-year-old TikToker and aesthetician Valeria Marquez was shot multiple times while broadcasting live from inside her beauty salon, Blossom the Beauty Lounge, in the western Mexican state of Jalisco. The video shows a smiling Valeria looking out of the window momentarily before bullets strike her once in the chest and twice in the head. The influencer appears to place a hand over the gunshot wound near her ribcage before dropping dead. An unknown woman then appears in the clip, seemingly turning off the video. Initial reports said that a gunman entered her salon and shot her before fleeing on a motorbike. Paramedics rushed to the bloody scene, but Valeria was pronounced dead immediately. Couples tragic last post before being killed by twister at waterfall A young couple posted a tragic selfie just moments before they were killed by a twister at a waterfall. Leone Barbosa, 38, and Thássia de Almeida, 36, were swimming in the waterfall's plunge pool when they were surprised by a flash flood last month. The victims were with a group of 12 people and a tour guide when they were swept to their deaths. They found themselves stranded from the others in the rapidly rising body of water. Barbosa and Almeida disappeared at the Bocaína Waterfall in the Serra do Intendente State Park located north of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The guide and two group members immediately left the others to contact the emergency services. They called the fire brigade at around 7pm. Due to the difficult terrain, the rescue team didn't arrive at the scene until around 1:45am that night. Emergency workers found the other group members who were uninjured but in a state of shock. They had to wait until dawn to make the return journey with the distraught group members, meanwhile, firefighters continued searching for the missing couple. Their bodies were found the following day at around midday on April 20. As a result, the Fire Department and the Minas Gerais State Forestry Institute decided to temporarily close the area of Peixe Tolo Canyon. Just before they were swept to their deaths, the couple posed for a selfie in the State Park. Thássia said: 'Planting another seed in our garden of memories.' They were tragically killed just moments later. Security guard's final video message to family kidnap and execution Chilling footage, which saw a security guard asking his loved ones to give him a call, became the last video of him and his colleagues alive before they were kidnapped and executed in a bitter turf war between rival mining operations. The 13 men were private security guards working for the mining company R&R in northern Peru. They had been deployed to protect a remote gold mining site in the mountainous Pataz province, where operations include both legal and illegal players, when they were seized and executed by a rival gang. The video shows a man in black combat fatigues, armed and using a selfie stick to film a message, seemingly for a family member. He tells them to call him, but it is unclear if anyone ever did. The fugitive known as 'Cuchillo' believed to have masterminded the murder fled the country after the cold-blooded execution of the guards in the violent turf war over mining territory. The killings happened in Pataz, with the bodies discovered inside the NV 2520 mine shaft in the Santa María annex near Trujillo on May 4 this year. The group had reportedly been re-assigned to a more vulnerable area of the mine after a gunfight on April 25 between guards working for R&R and a group of armed men led by Miguel Antonio Rodriguez Diaz, alias 'Cuchillo.' An informant told police that five people from Cuchillo's rival group were killed in that earlier clash. In apparent retaliation, Cuchillo's men captured and executed the 13 guards. Police said these kinds of confrontations often end in executions or hostages used for negotiations between rival mining gangs. Cuchillo fled to Colombia the day after the killings on May 5, according to migration records. The Peruvian mayor of Pataz later accused the state of being complicit in his escape. The fugitive is also suspected in the killing of nine workers at the La Poderosa mine in November 2023. He is currently wanted for extortion, and for crimes involving explosives, but remains at large. Two OAP sisters die in car crash just minutes after taking a selfie Earlier this month, two elderly sisters died in a car crash just minutes after sharing a selfie from their vehicle. Miriam and Gladys De la Torre were travelling on Route 88 in Argentina when their Renault Clio collided head-on with a Citroen Basalt driven by Laura Evangelina Gomez, a 45-year-old woman from Necochea, who also died at the scene on May 1. The sisters, aged 62 and 67 respectively, had reportedly sent a selfie to relatives shortly before the crash, showing them smiling inside the car as they departed Mar del Plata. However, despite concerns about using mobile phones while driving, police are looking into suspicions that another vehicle was involved after reports that a dark-coloured pickup truck may have caused the accident. Police believe this other vehicle made a dangerous manoeuvre that forced Gomez's car into the path of the De la Torre sisters' vehicle. Patricio De la Torre, son of Gladys, told local media that the truck fled the scene and has not yet been identified. Police are appealing for witnesses who may have seen the truck or the events leading up to the crash. Father of groom dies in celebratory gun firing at wedding In a shocking incident in 2016, a man was killed in celebratory fire on his son's wedding in Madhya Pradesh, India. Mansoor Patel died on the spot after being hit by a bullet fired by members of the marriage party, an official posted at Badnagar Police station said at the time. Footage showed a dozen gun-wielding men gathered in a village preparing their rifles before the tragic accident took place. As the father stepped into the frame with his arms raised, the men around him fiddled with their weapons. But suddenly a shot is fired and the celebrating man is hit in the side of the head. He drops to the ground and the guests rush around him in a desperate bid to get him help, but it is too late.
Free Malaysia Today
12-05-2025
- Free Malaysia Today
Holiday outing at waterfall turns tragic as UniSZA student drowns
The group was taking a dip in the middle section of Lata Changkah's cascade when six of them started struggling against the currents. (Facebook pic) PETALING JAYA : A public holiday outing to a waterfall turned tragic for seven friends from Universiti Sultan Zainal Abidin (UniSZA) after one of them drowned at Lata Changkah in Terengganu today. Wan Ahmad Irfan Wan Abdullah Thani, 24, and his friends were taking a dip in the middle section of the waterfall's cascade when six of them started struggling against the currents. Hady Izzudyn Ikmal Hisam, 23, who had swum ashore for a drink, said all six could not swim, Bernama reported. 'I rushed to help and managed to save five of them with the help of the public. But we couldn't find Wan Irfan,' he said. The fire and rescue department received a distress call at about 3.40pm and dispatched 10 firemen. A search for the law student began at 4pm and Wan Irfan's body was found 28 minutes later at a depth of 4.5m. 'Five of the victim's friends who nearly drowned were taken to Setiu Hospital for treatment, while the deceased's body was handed over to the police for further action,' it said.
