When adventures go wrong

06 June 2013 / Helen Pugh

Categories: Features , Personal injury

Helen Pugh examines the courts’ differing approaches to accidents arising out of risky activities

"Adults who choose to engage in physical activities which obviously give rise to a degree of unavoidable risk may find that they have no means of recompense if the risk materialises so that they are injured” (per May LJ in Poppleton v Trustees of the Portsmouth Youth Activities Committee [2008] All ER (D) 150 (Jun) (CA)).

Just how sweepingly is this sweeping statement likely to be applied? The answer seems to be: not very, in light of the ruling in Wilson v Clyne Farm Centre [2013] EWHC 229 (QB) (Swift J).

Wilson v Clyne Farm Centre

Clyne Farm Centre is an outdoor activity centre. One of the activities on offer is a cross country assault course which included a challenge called the Burma Bridge. This challenge had three stages:

a log climb up to a platform in a tree;
a rope bridge suspended between that tree and a second tree; and
a fireman’s pole descent from the platform

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When adventures go wrong

Helen Pugh examines the courts’ differing approaches to accidents arising out of risky activities

Just how sweepingly is this sweeping statement likely to be applied? The answer seems to be: not very, in light of the ruling in Wilson v Clyne Farm Centre [2013] EWHC 229 (QB) (Swift J).

Wilson v Clyne Farm Centre

Clyne Farm Centre is an outdoor activity centre. One of the activities on offer is a cross country assault course which included a challenge called the Burma Bridge. This challenge had three stages:

a log climb up to a platform in a tree;
a rope bridge suspended between that tree and a second tree; and
a fireman’s pole descent from the platform

If you are not a subscriber, subscribe now to read this content

If you are already a subscriber sign in

...or Register for two weeks' free access to subscriber content

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When adventures go wrong

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