By Linzi Watson

Last updated at 12:56, Thursday, 14 January 2010

The head of a charity trust in charge of an outdoor centre where a Cumbrian schoolgirl plunged 30 ft to her death has admitted “failing to look after her”.

Laura McDairmant

Laura McDairmant, 15, from Wetheral, was taking part in gorge jumping on holiday in southern Scotland in July 2006 when she hesitated, slipped and fell onto rocks in a pool below.

She died in hospital hours later after suffering severe injuries to her neck and head.

Speaking at a fatal accident inquiry into the teenager’s death yesterday, Lorimer Gray, executive director at the Abernethy Trust said that the Christian organisation managed four sites across Scotland, including Barcaple in the Galloway Forest which Laura attended.

The inquiry has heard, that on the day tragedy struck, Laura and a group of youngsters were taken first to jump at a smaller gorge before moving on to the larger 30 ft drop.

The suitability of this second jump has been questioned because there are rocks at the bottom of a steep drop which the children were told to avoid.

Mr Gray told the inquiry there were dangers on this site and admitted flaws in the way the activity was run.

He said: “Sadly we failed in looking after Laura effectively and part of that is down to the fact that we hadn’t managed the activity effectively.”

In October 2008 The Abernethy Trust were fined £16,000 for breaching health and safety regulations which lead to Laura's death.

Mr Gray told the fatal accident inquiry, held at Kirkcudbright Sheriff Court, there was “great confusion” about which instructors had originally started using the site where Laura had her accident for gorge jumping and why.

He said information on the activity and the risks associated were just “handed on” from instructor to instructor.

“There is no doubt that within the situation there were a number of flaws and with hindsight the system of handing it on was not ideal.

“It was not good at all,” Mr Gray added.

“I think that the instructors were oblivious to the danger because of the practice of using it over a number of years.

“There were flaws in the way the activity had been established and run and we want to make sure that doesn’t happen ever again.”

Mr Gray also admitted the only risk assessment carried out for gorge jumping at Barcaple was “vague” and “unspecific” containing information about both jumps, large and small, but not detailing the risk which cost Laura her life – the rocks in the pool below.

The executive director said he visited the gorge where Laura fell the day after the accident: “My immediate reaction was that it was like a jump I had done in Australia but, the more I looked at it and explored it, I realised the dangers that were involved.”

The inquiry heard that since Laura’s accident, the trust has carried out a large-scale review of all activities and risk assessments.

The activity of gorge jumping has not taken place at the larger site since.

The inquiry continues.

First published at 11:25, Wednesday, 13 January 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk