A cameraman who died while filming a skydive suffered fatal chest injuries after landing on the roof of a bed showroom, an inquest heard.

Sam Cornwell, 46, died after his parachute failed to open during a jump on Saturday April 28.

He was working for Sky Diving Peterlee and Crook Coroner’s Court was told he landed on the Bishop Beds building in South West Industrial Estate in Shotton.

Mr Cornwell, who was from the Isle of Wight, lived in a campervan at Peterlee Parachute Centre nearby.

He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem examination was carried out by Home Office pathologist Dr Sam Hoggard at the RVI in Newcastle three days later.

He concluded Mr Cornwell died as a result of chest injuries.

The inquest was opened by County Durham’s Senior Coroner Jeremy Chipperfield on Monday.

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Coroner’s officer Stephanie Clough said: “I understand the circumstances to be that on April 27, 2024, Mr Cornwell was working as a sky diving cameraman at Shotton Airfield.

“He had been completing a sky dive and has been unable to perform a safe landing and landed on the roof of a factory unit where he was pronounced deceased.”

The inquest has now been adjourned pending further investigation.

Inquiries are being carried out by Durham Constabulary and a separate investigation has been launched by British Skydiving.