Safety trial after canoeist death

The trial heard from witnesses to conditions on Lake Vyrnwy

The owner of an outdoor pursuits company has gone on trial after the death of a man who hired a canoe on Lake Vyrnwy in Powys.

David Phillips, 68, from Haddenham near Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, died after the boat he and his wife, Brenda were sailing in overturned on 2 August 2004.

They had hired the canoe from Bethania Adventure, owned by David Proctor from Capel Bethania in nearby Llanwddyn.

He denies charges under the Health and Safety Act before Wrexham magistrates.

The three charges relate to the buoyancy aids the Phillips were given, his safety sweeps of the lake, and his monitoring of the lake's boundaries.

The court heard today from Philip and Catherine Ross, experienced canoeists, who had also hired a craft from Mr Proctor that day.

They both described seeing the Phillips row past, while they stopped for lunch on the shore of the lake.

Later a storm blew up that was so intense that it made controlling the Ross' canoe very difficult.

Mr Ross said: "The water was very choppy - significantly so."

"I then wanted to get to the shore as quickly as possible. My wife was screaming because she felt very unsafe".

As they returned to the boathouse, Mr Ross described seeing a helicopter, emergency vehicles and then Mr Proctor in a motor boat heading in the opposite direction.

The trial continues.