Pamela Gower, from Hebburn, South Tyneside, was found crashed in a cul-de-sac close to the airfield at about 3.45pm. Photo / Pamela Gower Facebook
Pamela Gower, from Hebburn, South Tyneside, was found crashed in a cul-de-sac close to the airfield at about 3.45pm. Photo / Pamela Gower Facebook
A charity skydiver who had only just been given permission to use modified equipment for her dwarfism plunged to her death when her parachute failed to open properly.
Pamela Gower, who described herself as a "crazy trainee skydiver", was described by a witness as "spinning like a top" before she crashed onto a parked car.
The 49-year-old was flown to hospital after the tragedy in Shotton Colliery, County Durham, on Saturday afternoon, but died from her injuries.
Pamela Gower described herself as a "crazy trainee skydiver" on her Facebook page, where she had posted a number of images of herself skydiving. Photo / Pamela Gower Facebook
It emerged yesterday on Sunday that Miss Gower had been given the green light in July this year to use specially modified skydiving apparatus by the British Parachute Association on account of her dwarfism.
Minutes of a meeting seen by The Telegraph reveal that it was agreed at a meeting of the association's safety and training committee that the canopies used by Miss Gower would be sized for her weight and the "steering and risers shortened to suit her arm length".
Miss Gower, who had previously raised hundreds of pounds for a cancer charity in a tandem skydive, took off in a place at an airfield in Shotton Colliery.
But Miss Gower, from Hebburn, South Tyneside, was found crashed in a cul-de-sac close to the airfield at about 3.45pm.
An inquiry has been launched and Durham Police said the death will be investigated by police, the Health and Safety Executive and the British Parachute Association.
Miss Gower's family said yesterday that she was as an avid skydiver who "lived life to the full" and died "doing what she loved".
She described herself as a "crazy trainee skydiver" on her Facebook page, where she had posted a number of images of herself skydiving, and the words: "Nothing makes me more happy than skydiving, can't wait for the next jump!!!!"
In a post online, her cousin Anthony Cairns described her as someone who "certainly lived life to the full".
He said: ""RIP Pamela Gower, we will all always love you so much.
"It is with great sadness I would like to share the unfortunate news that my lovely cousin Pamela Gower passed away yesterday afternoon after her parachute failed to open properly.
"She certainly lived life to the full that's for sure."
He added: "Just makes you are aware that you have to make the most of life as you have no idea when it is likely to be taken away from you. She was doing exactly that I guess, doing what she loved."
Miss Gower had previously raised more than £750 for Cancer Research after leaping out of a plane from 15,000feet in a tandem skydive.
Miss Gower, who had previously raised hundreds of pounds for a cancer charity in a tandem skydive, took off in a place at an airfield in Shotton Colliery. Photo / Pamela Gower
She worked as an employment adviser for Remploy, an organisation which provides employment placements for disabled people.
A Remploy spokesman said: "Pam worked most recently as an employment adviser in our Newcastle branch supporting disabled people into work.
"She had worked for the company for many years and was a valued and respected member of the Remploy team."
A witness described on Saturday how he was having a cup of coffee in his garden when he saw a group of parachutists jump out of their plane after taking off from the Peterlee Parachute Centre.
"I see them every day so I don't take much notice but this one made me look up," he said. "I could hear a fluttering noise and it sounded unusual.
"I could see it was not the main parachute, because they're massive. It was so close to the ground."
He added: "I honestly thought it was a dummy because there was no movement from her. She looked as though she was unconscious. She was not screaming. All I can see is her spinning like a top."
A Durham Police spokesman confirmed the death will be investigated by the force and the British Parachute Association. "Our thoughts are with Miss Gower's family at this difficult time," the spokesman said. "They have been asked to be left in peace to grieve."
