Burnley FC probe parachutist's crash landing (From Lancashire Telegraph)

Burnley FC probe parachutist's crash landing

7:30am Monday 18th August 2008 in

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BURNLEY FC have launched an urgent inquiry after a parachutist crash-landed onto Turf Moor and delayed kick-off by almost an hour.

Board members, led by chief executive Paul Fletcher, are due to hold an emergency meeting this morning.

They will discuss why it took an hour-and-a-half for the member of the Parachute Regiment's Red Devils to be brought down from the ground’s Cricket Field Stand on Saturday.

The parachutist - Ben Cannon, a brigadier thought to live in Todmorden - was said to be “embarrassed” after being rescued by firefighters. His only injuries were cuts and bruises.

He has been accused by a police chief of “show-boating” as he came into land minutes before Burnley were due to start their Championship clash against Ipswich.

More than 11,000 at Turf Moor saw six Red Devils successfully land on the pitch as part of the pre-game festivities before Mr Cannon crash-landed on to the stand, piercing the asbestos roof.

A club investigation is set to look into why it took so long for cars parked on the next-door cricket pitch to be moved so emergency services could get to Mr Cannon.

And it is also thought that the club is considering axing any similar pre-match entertainment in future.

The Football League and the Health and Safety Executive could also launch separate inquiries.

Last night Mr Fletcher said: “There is going to be a full investigation into this.

“I don’t want to comment further until I fully understand it because there are some mixed messages going round.

“There was a risk assessment prepared beforehand and that was passed by everyone so we need to investigate to see what happened.”

The police match commander has defended the emergency services’ response.

Chief Insp Jeff Brown said a gate close to the away turnstyles was kept clear so that emergency vehicles can drive onto the pitch in emergencies.

But this route was not used as it would mean removing the goalposts, and also because Mr Cannon had signalled that he was not badly injured.

Therefore Mr Brown said they decided to read out the registration numbers of cars blocking the fire engine over the public address system to clear the way.

Mr Brown said: “We have no need to interfere with the commercial activities of the club and that event was risk assessed anyway.

“The parachutist said a gust of wind had blown him off course.

“My take is that he slowed coming into land so he could do a bit of show-boating but he drifted on to the roof.”

Firefighters from nearby Belvedere Road were called out to rescue Mr Cannon at 2.55pm - just five minutes before the scheduled kick-off time.

They sent for an aerial ladder platform from Accrington and waited for cars to be moved from the cricket pitch car park so they could approach the stand.

Burnley station manager Dave Jackson said: "He was very embarrassed when we got him down and his colleagues were waiting for him.

"With it being Burnley's first game of the season at home, the crowd weren't very happy with it being delayed.

"But they gave a big cheer when he was helped down and I'm sure it all raised a few smiles."

Last night footage of the incident was attracting thousands of hits on the You Tube video sharing website and the clip was also shown on Sky Sports and ITV1’s The Championship programme.

Mr Cannon’s profile on the Red Devils website it reveals his nickname is ‘Loose Cannon’.

After training at ATR Pirbright, he joined the Parachute Regiment before serving in Kosovo, Macedonia and Iraq.

No-one was available for comment from the Red Devils.

The game eventually got underway at around 3.45pm, with Ipswich winning 3-0.