Auto Amazon Links: No products found.
Louise Pinder, the senior coroner for Rutland and North Leicestershire, stated that the preliminary cause of Paige Lomas’s death was multiple severe traumatic injuries. The inquest, which is taking place at County Hall, revealed that Lomas, who lived in Eye Kettleby near Melton Mowbray in Leicestershire, had traveled to Jordan to participate in a series called *Adventure*. This series, commissioned by Apple, focused on filming athletes in visually stunning locations.
During the hearing, Lina Zilinskaite, a senior producer at Atlantic Productions—the company responsible for filming the series—explained that they reached out to Lomas for a microlighting project. Zilinskaite conveyed that Lomas was thrilled about the opportunity and that the production team felt reassured by Lomas’s prior media experience. According to her, Lomas was enthusiastic and eager to take part. The court learned that Lomas had a microlight pilot license and around 150 hours of flying experience. The production team had consulted Ben Ashman from Flylight Airsports, who described Lomas as a “talented pilot” but noted she required help with getting in and out of the microlight.
The inquest also heard that a camera was mounted on the microlight, and test flights were conducted with Ashman and Lomas maneuvering the aircraft to assess the filming setup. Zilinskaite mentioned that Lomas seemed “very happy” and showed no signs of concern. Lomas arrived in Jordan on July 10, 2024. The plan was to undertake the microlighting challenge on July 14, but high winds prevented this. On July 15, Zilinskaite and Ashman were at the filming location early in the morning and discussed the weather, which appeared favorable. Despite Ashman expressing unease over a Facebook post Lomas had made the night before, they spoke with her at the hotel to confirm if she wished to proceed. Lomas remained “enthusiastic” and “absolutely sure she wanted to fly.”
The flight lasted approximately 15 minutes, with Ashman taking off first and clearing the runway before Lomas’s approach. Zilinskaite attempted to record Lomas’s landing but did not hit the record button because her approach was “not quite straight on.” She could not see the crash itself, as her view was obstructed, but the court was informed that Lomas was urgently transported by ambulance to Petra and then airlifted to a hospital in Amman. After several weeks, she was eager to return home to her family but then developed an infection and her health declined. Although Lomas’s family raised concerns about her medical treatment in Jordan, the coroner clarified that it was outside the scope of the inquest to formally investigate the hospital care she received.
Lomas had overcome significant challenges earlier in life; after being thrown from her horse during the Osberton Horse Trials in Nottinghamshire in 2007, she was initially told she would never walk again. However, five years later, she made her first steps using a mechanical suit called ReWalk at a rehabilitation center in East Yorkshire. The ReWalk suit incorporated braces for leg support, motors to rotate joints, sensors to detect weight shifts and motion, and a battery pack. It responded to movements detected by the feet, hips, and upper body to assist walking. Lomas became the first person in the UK to use ReWalk and went on to complete the London Marathon in 2012 over 17 days. She later completed the Great North Run in 2016, earning the nickname “bionic woman” for her remarkable accomplishments.
In addition to her athletic feats, Lomas was chosen to light the Paralympic flame in 2012 and was awarded an MBE in 2017 for her fundraising efforts. Before her passing, she raised £925,000 for the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation, a charity focused on spinal cord injury research. Her husband, Dan Spincer, and best friend, Stuart Hall, subsequently brought her total amount raised to over £1 million and pledged to continue fundraising in her memory. Relatives of Lomas did not attend the inquest, with Ben Bradley KC, representing the family, explaining that it was “too painful” as the hearing was held close to the anniversary of her death. The inquest is ongoing
Read the full article from The BBC here: Read More
Auto Amazon Links: No products found.