6:00am Saturday 11th July 2009
By Paul Langan
A man has died after plunging from the top of the Cow and Calf rocks at Ilkley.
The accident at the popular beauty spot happened yesterday lunchtime.
Shocked tourists saw the man fall about 50 feet. Emergency services, including the Yorkshire Air Ambulance, were quickly on the scene, but despite efforts to revive him the man was pronounced dead at the scene.
The victim was said by witnesses to be aged in his 30s or 40s. He had not been named by police last night.
Jason Theaker, of Otley, had been walking in the area at the time and taking photographs.
Shortly after the tragedy had occurred he said: “As I was walking up he just fell off the rock, about three metres from me. He just fell right next to me. I am a bit shaken.”
Brenda Bolland had been visiting the area with her husband Martin.
She said: “I was up there taking photographs. I took one of the big rock, and I turned back around and heard this almighty crash. I saw him roll to the bottom of the hill.”
The area is popular with climbers but witnesses said the victim appeared to be dressed in ordinary clothing.
They said they saw him walking along the top of the rocks then standing at the highest point just before toppling to the ground below.
There appeared to be no-one with him at the time. One woman, who did not want to be named, said she helped onlookers cover the man with a blanket. He appeared to be dead – there were no signs of life there,” she said.
She had seen three tourists walking up towards the largest rock before running back down to raise the alarm.
Another witness, who was on a visit from her home in Lancashire, said she had been sitting with a friend on a bench at the edge of the car park when the accident happened.
She said: “We were having our lunch when we heard a thud and looked around and saw him spread-eagled on the ground. He wasn’t moving.”
Police quickly sealed off the area with tape while investigations into the incident started.
A West Yorkshire Police spokesman said: “Police were called to reports that a man had fallen at the Cow and Calf rocks in Ilkley at about 1.30pm.
“Sadly he was pronounced dead at the scene and at this stage, it is not believed there were any suspicious circumstances involved.”
The Coroner has been informed.
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