'Lucky' parachutist lands in tree

Mr Bell was rescued by firefighters using a ladder and harness

A parachutist was left suspended 60ft (18m) in the air after crash landing in a tree in a church graveyard.

Adam Bell, 21, was just 100 yards from his landing area after jumping from 10,000ft in a leap organised via Peterlee Parachute Centre in Durham.

He realised too late he had flown off course and plunged into trees at St Saviour's churchyard, Shotton Colliery.

Mr Bell, of Burnopfield, was unhurt and firefighters rescued him using a ladder and harness. He said he felt "lucky."

He said: "I could see the gravestones getting bigger and bigger and I thought, this is going to hurt.

"I have had a lucky escape. Someone must have been looking down on me."

Mr Bell was treated for minor cuts and bruises after being rescued on Saturday.

'Braced myself'

The telesales manager, who served with the Royal Signal Regiment and who has been parachuting for a year, said: "I was probably at about 300ft when I realised things had gone wrong.

"Basically I had not been paying attention and had flown too low.

"I was coming in at about 40 or 50 miles per hour and I thought I was going to land on the church. I could see people down below looking at me and pointing.

"I thought, 'if I hit that, I'm dead', but if I had turned I would have smashed into the floor. I just braced myself and covered my face."

A spokesman at Peterlee Fire Station said: "We've never had a callout for anything like this before."

Crews worked at the scene for an hour while up to 50 concerned onlookers gathered below.