AN experienced climber who fell 80ft to his death from a frozen waterfall had taken all the appropriate precautions, an inquest heard.

Dave Church, of Shildon, County Durham, died instantly after all but one of his ice screws – designed to protect him in the event of a fall – gave way.

The 54-year-old was leading the ice climb up Cautley Spout, between Sedbergh and Kirkby Stephen, in Cumbria, on Boxing Day last year when the tragedy happened.

Climbing companion Oliver Graham, 33, from Barnard Castle, said the pair had climbed frozen waterfalls before and had planned ahead.

He said the former driving instructor secured his rope with the screws in the ice as he made his way up the frozen waterfall.

The original plan was for Mr Church to climb up part of the first section, then for Mr Graham to join him, but he decided to keep going.

He told the inquest, in Kendal, Cumbria, that Mr Church had almost reached the end of the section he was on and was shouting that he had seen a tree which could be used to harness Mr Graham up.

He said Mr Church suddenly slipped and fell, and all but his first ice screw ripped out.

He said: “I was pulling on the rope to take in some of the slack. Nothing held.”

Coroner Ian Smith said Mr Church was well equipped, but had fallen from near the top. A post-mortem examination revealed that Mr Church, of Windsor Court, Shildon, died from multiple injuries.

Recording a verdict of accidental death, he said it was unclear why Mr Church fell, although it was possible he had lost his balance.

He said: “This is a pure accident in its truest sense. It happened out of the blue, not because he was taking risks or was unprepared for what he was doing.

“He had all the necessary safety equipment and he had a helmet strapped on properly.

He had taken all the appropriate precautions.”