We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you’ve consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info

A “much-respected” paramedic was killed after a tree he was cutting down fell on him while testing a chainsaw on his day off, an inquest has heard. Robin Parry Jones, who was described as a “keen fisherman”, was later found unconscious under the tree by a dog walker.

The “proud grandfather”, 57, had been felling the large tree in a field along a back road between Llanystumdwy and Criccieth, North Wales, when the incident occurred on June 23 this year.

An inquest – which began in Caernarfon in July – heard he had remained trapped under the tree for several hours before he was spotted.

Mr Jones was seen to by a fellow member of the ambulance service, but he was later pronounced dead.

The inquest, which concluded on Friday, was told he had been given permission by the landowner to cut the tree down.

The Dinas resident had reportedly told his wife, Bethan, he wanted to test his chainsaw before he bought a new one.

According to the Daily Post, the widow read out a statement during the hearing, in which she said she grew worried that she had not heard from him by 7pm on that fateful day, after he had ventured out around 9am that morning.

By 9pm, she ventured out to look for him, but when she reached the area was informed by police that he had died.

PC Dylan Roberts, who attended the scene, told the inquest Mr Jones had been “lying under one of the branches with the tree resting directly upon his chest” with “his arms and hands also underneath the branch”.

A post-mortem gave the likely cause of death to be “asphyxia due to the weight of a large tree on his torso.

Sarah Riley, assistant senior coroner for the region, concluded that he had died of an accident, stating: “Mr Jones had the permission of the landowner to cut tree on their land for his own benefit.

“He was not employed by them to do so, and this is therefore not a work-related death.

“The body of the deceased was trapped under the fallen tree. This has been confirmed by pictures from the scene, seen by me. It appears to me that in the course of cutting the tree with a chainsaw, the tree has fallen, trapping Mr Jones.

“It landed directly on his chest, restricting his respiratory capability. His death was unexpected and unintended.”

Mr Jones had been a member of the Welsh Ambulance Service for more than two decades, and became a paramedic in 2005.

When the inquest was launched, Jason Killens, Welsh Ambulance Service chief, said: “Robin was a much-respected, loveable and happy-go-lucky person who was well known in the Pwllheli community.

“He was one of the original community first responder ‘champions’, a true advocate for volunteers who became an integral link between volunteers and local stations.

He added: “In his spare time, Robin was a keen fisherman and a member of the local shooting community with fellow colleagues from Pwllheli. A proud grandfather, Robin also loved dogs and had started a local dog grooming service.

“The sudden and sad loss of Robin will be felt by all those that knew him, and we would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to Robin’s family, friends and colleagues at this difficult time.

“This will be an especially difficult time for operational colleagues in Pwllheli, who last year also lost paramedic Anthony Stephens, and in 2016, John Clift of the Non-Emergency Patient Transport Service.

“All of us at the Welsh Ambulance Service work every day to contribute to the effort of saving lives, but we can never be prepared enough when it comes to assisting the ones we are the closest to.”

Source: Read Full Article