THE parents of a canoe instructor who died after an accident on a Cumbrian river have spoken about their son.

Grant Kinnie, 25, from Darlington died following the incident on the River Eamont, near Penrith, on Sunday.

Mr Kinnie was one of four instructors from the Patterdale Hall outdoor education centre, based at Glenridding, in the Lake Distrtict, who were canoeing with a group of 11 students from a school in Lancashire when his canoe capsized in the fast flowing river.

Rescuers pulled him from the water unconscious, and he was airlifted to the Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle, but doctors were unable to save him.

Last night, his mother Margaret Kendrew said he was at a “very happy” point in his life and enjoyed his outdoor instructor job immensely.

She said he had been involved in a whirlwind romance with accountant girlfriend Liz Ali and they had discussed marriage, despite only going out together for four months.

Mrs Kendrew said: “Everybody who knew Grant cherished every moment with him. My family used to say he was my golden child, because in my eyes he could do nothing wrong.”

She said he meant the world to her, his sisters and brother and his stepfather, Nigel.

“I always encouraged him in every way to be the man he turned out to be,” said Mrs Kendrew.

Mr Kinnie was brought up in Darlington and went to Carmel RC College. After leaving school at 18 he took various jobs, including as a valeter at Sherwood’s car dealership in Darlington and a barman in various pubs.

He also worked as a barman for two winter seasons at a ski resort in Norway and as a crew member on a catamaran in Santorini.

He got his first job as an outdoor instructor at Teesdale School in Barnard Castle. He enjoyed a number of outdoor pursuits, including skiing, snowboarding, yachting, sailing and climbing.

His father, Iain Kinnie, said: “To say he lived life to the full would be an understatement scarcely scratching the surface, and in his unfortunate demise he went out doing what he loved best – living life to the full.”

Friends have set up a Facebook group called ‘In loving memory of Grant Kinnie’. Nearly 1,500 people have joined, leaving hundreds of tributes.

A Cumbria Police spokesman said they were heading a joint investigation with the Health and Safety Executive into Mr Kinnie’s death. An inquest will be opened in the next few days, the spokesman said.

The date for his funeral has not yet been formalised.