Parachutist who died was '˜an inspiration to all'

The man, who has now been named as Carl Anthony Marsh, was doing a parachute jump on Saturday at the Black Knights Parachute Centre at Cockerham, near Lancaster.

He suffered serious injuries and was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police are now investigating the circumstances of the death of Mr March, 46, from Cheshire.

His family have released a statement paying tribute to the fun-loving father and grandfather.

They said: “Carl was taken away from us so suddenly, that this just doesn’t feel real.

“Carl was a much-loved husband, father, grandfather, son, brother, uncle and nephew to all of us and we all loved him very much.

“Carl had a big personality and a positive outlook on life. He was full of jokes and laughter and always had a huge smile on his face. He loved nothing more than to have a laugh and joke with us all and never failed to bring a bright light into our lives.

“His enormous heart was big enough for every one of us and he loved life to the full. He was a role model for many and had recently achieved the level of Category System Instructor with the BPA.

“His passion for sky diving was something he got a great deal of pleasure out of. He was a leader and admired by so many and his son Craig says he was his hero.

“It is hard to imagine how life will be without Carl. He has left a massive hole in our lives and we will never forget him. Carl was an inspiration to us all and his zest for life was demonstrated every day in his love for his family, his strong work ethic and his happy personality.”