Woman who died in skydive was 'caring and giving'

Belinda Taylor, 48, from Totnes, died while skydiving in Devon, police say

A woman who died in a skydiving accident in Devon was a "caring, giving person" who "loved adventure".

Belinda Taylor, 48, from Totnes, was one of two people who died at Dunkeswell Aerodrome, near Honiton, on Friday.

Her partner Scott Armstrong said: "She was a lovely person, she was my best friend. She was an absolute nutcase who just loved adventures."

Skydiving instructor Adam Harrison, 30, from Bournemouth, also died in the incident at the weekend.

Ms Taylor was the mother of four children. She worked as a massage therapist and also volunteered at a food bank.

She had been in a relationship with Mr Armstrong for three years.

Mr Armstrong said: "If she had £10 in her purse and you needed £10, you got it. She would put her own needs out of the way.

"Somebody had sent me the nicest message last night.

"They said they were on the plane with her and she was laughing and joking and really excited of going up to the last minute. And I needed to hear that."

Ms Taylor worked as a massage therapist and also volunteered at a food bank

Mr Armstrong said his partner had an adventurous spirit.

"We had scaffolding on the house the other week and we'd done her a video with Mission Impossible music and she was abseiling out the windows," he said.

"It's anything for a laugh."

He said her death had left him "lost".

"She was my only friend, I don't even know where home is now," he said.

"She was what I had down here, now I don't have her here, I'm speechless.

"We lost our world."

Scott Armstrong: "I miss her like crazy"

When his young son came to live with them, she did "everything for him, took him to school, done his lunches, registered him at schools", he said.

"She took him to the fun fairs and things all through the holidays and she's entertained him every day.

"I just miss her like crazy."

'Wonderful mother'

Ms Taylor's friend Chloe Grantham said she would be "missed so much".

"She was amazing, she cared about everybody," she said.

"She always put others before herself and she was a wonderful mother.

"I'll always take her with me in my heart, I love her to bits."

The force said the skydivers died at the scene and their families had been informed.

It said inquiries were ongoing by police, British Skydiving and East Devon District Council Environmental Health and Safety Office.

British Skydiving said on Saturday it had been "notified of a tragic accident in which two jumpers lost their lives".

"Our deepest condolences go to their families, friends and the entire skydiving community," it said.

The accident happened at Dunkeswell Aerodrome

The Civil Aviation Authority said it was aware of the incident but could not comment any further due to it being an active investigation.

A spokesperson added: "We will work closely with the relevant authorities to understand what happened and are awaiting the report into the incident."

SkyDiveBuzz Dunkeswell said the deaths were "devastating" and it was fully co-operating with the investigation.

"We are heartbroken to confirm that an incident occurred on Friday, resulting in the tragic loss of two lives," it said in a statement.

"Our deepest condolences go out to the families, friends, and everyone affected by this devastating event.

"Safety is, and always has been, our top priority."

The site was originally built to be an American naval base during World War Two

The Dunkeswell Aerodrome is a former RAF site located in the Blackdown Hills area of Devon, close to the county's border with Somerset.

According to the aerodrome's website, the site was originally built to be an American naval base during World War Two.

It is also claimed to be the highest licensed airfield in the UK at 839ft (256m) above sea level.

Along with skydiving, other activities on offer include Spitfire flight tours, wing-walking and flight training for aircraft.