A 74-year-old man who died in a cave after he fell and broke his thigh bone while potholing was a "caver till the end", an inquest heard.

Harry Hesketh, known by family and friends as 'Eski' died from shock and hypothermia while trapped in Curtain Pot, on Fountains Fell, near Horton-in-Ribblesdale, on June 1 this year, North Yorkshire Coroner's Court heard.

He died during a 17-hour rescue attempt, which volunteers described as "the most difficult extraction" they had ever been involved in.

Mr Hesketh's daughter, Wendy Uchimura, said in a statement that her father became interested in climbing and caving in his mid-teens and spent his spare time caving, cycling and walking.

She said: "Caving was a constant passion throughout his life and he was a caver till the end."

The inquest in Selby yesterday heard that, on the day of his death, Mr Hesketh went potholing with two friends at around 11am and was around 60 minutes into the cave when the accident happened.

Bernard Walker said in a statement: "He lost control of the rope he was sliding down. It was dark so we couldn't see what occurred but we heard a loud thud and groans coming from Harry."

Alistair Morris, a medical officer with Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team, told the inquest he treated Mr Hesketh in the cave after the six-metre fall.

He said the caver had broken his left femur and was responsive at first but became more confused and began to have unresponsive episodes.

Mr Morris said Mr Hesketh went into cardiac arrest but recovered after one minute of CPR and a decision was made to try to move him at around 10pm.

He said in a statement: "We decided, as he was deteriorating, staying where we were was not an option. We decided he needed moving to give him a chance of getting out alive."

Mr Morris said Mr Hesketh died as volunteers lifted him to the top of the first pitch.

"As he came towards me, he was lifeless," he said. "CPR was not possible because it could not be maintained through the extraction."

Almost 100 volunteers from the Upper Wharfedale Fell Rescue Association, Swaledale Mountain Rescue Team, Calder Valley Search and Rescue Team, Cumbria Mines Rescue, Clapham Cave Rescue Organisation as well as members from Bradford Pothole Club and the Yorkshire Spelio Society, battled for over 17 hours to try and get Mr Hesketh out safely.

Andy Plimmer, a volunteer with the Cave Rescue Organisation, said Curtain Pot involves narrow, twisting drops, chambers and obstacles.

He told the inquest in a statement that Mr Hesketh had to be removed from the stretcher numerous times to get around the bends and the only way the rescue could have been successful was if he had been in a condition to help himself out of the cave.

He said: "I consider this the most difficult extraction I've ever been involved in."

The inquest heard that Mr Hesketh, from Bradley, a retired computer programmer with Craven District Council, was eventually brought to the surface at around 5am on June 2.

A post-mortem examination found that he died from hypovolemic shock and hypothermia caused by a left femur fracture.

Coroner Rob Turnbull concluded that Mr Hesketh's death was an accident.

He said: "Mr Hesketh suffered a fall and fractured femur while potholing.

"Cave Rescue attended and were attempting to extract him from the pothole. Sadly, he died before he could be brought to the surface.

"Mr Hesketh died as a result of an accident."