A PARAMEDIC was left paralysed after a climbing accident on a North Wales adventure weekend. Lisa Brennin's rock climbing instructor only qualified 10 days earlier, a court heard yesterday. The novice climber was with a group of colleagues celebrating passing ambulance exams in March 2003. But her colleagues let go of a safety rope after mishearing instructor James McDermott. The 32-year-old Runcorn-based Merseyside ambulance worker fell 15ft onto her head and back, leaving her paraplegic and unable to walk. Yesterday she gave evidence from her wheelchair at Chester Crown Court against Olympic and international canoe coach James Jayes, 47. Together with his ex-wife and former British Open canoe slalom champion Anyta, 30, he ran JJ Canoeing and Rafting adventure activity centre in Llangollen. The two face Denbighshire council health and safety regulations charges of failing to ensure a self-employed climbing instructor engaged by them was of suitable experience and competence. Jayes of Berwyn Road, Llangollen, and his ex-wife, now Rogers, of Church Lane, St Martins, near Oswestry, deny the charges. Mrs Brennin of St Helens said she joined the ambulance service on leaving school and achieved her ambition of working her way up to paramedic. She said: "Some of us had just passed our paramedic exams and rather than go drinking and dancing we thought we would do something different." Julian Shaw, prosecuting, said JJ's was set up by Mr Jayes in 1985. After marrying the couple ran the business as a partnership until making it a limited company in 2003. "The proprietors themselves are hugely experienced and qualified canoeists. Mr Jayes is an international and Olympic canoe coach and one-time British white water slalom champion. "Mrs Jayes too was a British Open slalom champion," said Mr Shaw. For water events they were highly skilled and competent. But the centre also offered quad biking, laser clay pigeon shooting, abseiling and rock climbing, supervised by people engaged by the centre. Experienced climber James McDermott was to supervise the women rock climbing on Trevor Rocks, 10 minutes away from the Mile End Mill canoeing centre. "He, like the Jayes, appears to have been extremely experienced in his subject and had been climbing for a number of years. "But he had only become qualified to instruct on his own on March 6 - 10 days before the matters which concern you," he said.. "The prosecution says it was the first time he had ever been in charge of a group of climbers as a qualified instructor on his own." Mrs Brennin said she successfully completed the abseiling where she was given a safety briefing before the start. Then she wandered over to the rock climbing and started assisting in a so-called bellringer method of climbing. One person climbed while another two held onto a rope. When she made her climb, Mr Shaw said Mr McDermott shouted for Mrs Brennin to lean back - similar to abseiling - and "let go". All three women heard the instruction and let go - and Mrs Brennin fell. Mrs Brennin told the jury: "It felt like a dreamy-type feeling, the next thing I felt myself land." She knew instantly she was seriously injured. After she was rescued she was transferred to Wrexham Maelor hospital. Mrs Brennin was later moved to Oswestry's spinal unit and then Southport spinal injury unit, discharged after six months. The case continues. | 
