Family devastated by slide death

The view from the top of a similar aerial slide at the centre

The family of an adventure instructor who died after becoming entangled in her harness on an aerial slide have spoken of their sadness.

Tanya Bocking, 41, of east Brighton, was killed as she prepared for a teaching session with a cerebral palsy sufferer at Blackland Farm activity centre, in East Grinstead, West Sussex, on Wednesday.

In a statement released on Thursday her family said: "Tanya's life centred around helping others.

"She was a person of great stature, passionate about life and people. She was a source of strength, wisdom and inspiration for all that knew her.

'Huge heart'

"Tanya had a huge heart and a laugh to match. She lived life to the full and encouraged others to do the same."

Tanya's partner Kim and brothers Nat and Jub, sister Susan and mother Diana are being comforted by friends.

Emergency services found the operations manager for the Brighton-based charity Adventure Unlimited dangling from the wire as onlookers had been unable to free her.

She was taken to the Princess Royal Hospital in Haywards Heath, where she was pronounced dead.

She is the type of person you just cannot replace Richard Hardwick, Adventure Unlimited

Miss Bocking joined the adventure firm, which runs events and camps for up to 2,000 disadvantaged youngsters each year, in 1997 when she was recovering from ME.

Richard Hardwick, director of Adventure Unlimited said the staff and visitors at the farm were all devastated by the loss.

Mr Hardwick said: "It is very hard to understand how this could happen to her, with all the good work she does.

"She was a dedicated, funny and caring individual. She is the type of person you just cannot replace."

The 122-acre site, made up of woodland and fields, is run by Girlguiding UK.