Dancing Ledge coasteering death: Jury to hear inquest

Iain Farrell was among a group taking part in a coasteering trip off Dancing Ledge

A jury is to hear the inquest of a man who died while coasteering on Dorset's Jurassic Coast, a coroner has ruled.

Iain Farrell, 49, of Dorney near Windsor, drowned after getting into difficulty in the sea at Dancing Ledge near Swanage in May 2019.

He had been jumping from rocks as part of an organised group activity.

Coroner Brendan Allen ruled a jury should hear the full hearing because the death was an accident required to be notified to the authorities by law.

Mr Farrell had been taking part in the sport, which involves climbing and swimming around a rocky part of coast, with his two sons.

He was pulled unconscious from the sea and a number of other people had to be recovered from the water by the coastguard and RNLI during the incident, which happened during an activity day run by adventure company Land & Wave.

'Ongoing concern'

Charlotte Jones, representing Mr Farrell's widow Amanda, told the pre-inquest review held in Bournemouth a full jury hearing was required because of the "obvious public health and safety elements and concerns".

"This was a commercial and open to the public activity that continues.

"There is an ongoing concern as to future prevention of incidents," she added.

Mr Allen said Mr Farrell's family, Land & Wave and Dorset Council, would be given interested person status at the full hearing.

He said the scope of the inquest would look at safety briefings given on the day, how the groups of participants were chosen, and how the instructor adapted to the conditions.

He said the jury will also be required to look at the national guidance for coasteering activities, procedures used by Land & Wave, as well as Mr Farrell's own health and swimming ability.

The inquest is due to begin on 18 September.