Paraglider stuck in tree after jumping from scaffolding

The man was discovered by concerned residents along East Cliff dangling from a tree. 

His paraglider had got caught in a tree after he was believed to have jumped from the scaffolding of a block of flats along Manor Road. 

One resident, who came across the man in the tree and has asked to remain anonymous, said: “I had been out and just came home at around 6.30pm and outside on Manor Road there was a fire truck. 

The man was hanging from a tree (Image: Sent in by reader)

“I then saw two more police cars and an ambulance – there were a few emergency services around outside Toft Mansions and Albany. 

“Somebody had told me there was a paraglider who had crashed into the tree, so I went outside to have a look and saw him hanging from the tree looking lifelike. 

“It wasn’t a bona fide parachutist, he had just somehow got on top of our building and jumped from it. 

“They got the parachute off him eventually and cut him free from the tree.” 

Firemen eventually had to rescue him (Image: DWFRS)

According to the resident, however, this was not the first incident of a parachutist crashlanding in front of him. 

“A similar incident had happened last week when I saw a man fly by the window with a parachute on and land in our garden,” he added. 

“He quickly packed up his parachute and fled the garden.” 

Another woman added: "To be honest it took them a good 10 to 15 minutes to get the parachute bit off the tree because it was quite tangled but it's a good job because it kept him there safely.

"I think he was in the tree for a good hour, if not slightly more. But he was an absolute champ he wasn't panicking or anything, well not on the outside at least."

A spokesman for Dorset and Wiltshire Fire and Rescue Service said a crew from Springbourne and a technical rescue crew Poole arrived to help, along with an aerial ladder platform engine from Westbourne. 

We have contacted Dorset Police for more information.