Portland tombstoner hits back at criticism over hobby

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A TOMBSTONING thrillseeker has responded after receiving backlash over his daredevil activities.

Aaron Thomas, from Portland, received a barrage of criticism after sharing a video online of him jumping from a 70ft high clifftop near Pulpit Rock, which was picked up by national media.

Among those to comment, Katrina Gall warned: “I went to school with an experienced swimmer and jumper – he’s in a wheelchair for life after misjudging the rocks.

“Only takes once, then no going back”.

Another social media commenter said she knows a tombstoner who is wheelchair-bound for life after a jump went wrong.

Aaron says he has been tombstoning since he was a child, when he would copy his dad.

The 21-year-old thrillseeker admits the dangerous activity ‘isnt for everyone’ and encouraged those wanting to take part to do so responsibly.

Aaron said: I love it, I always have, Im not sure what it is about it but it just gives me a real thrill. Obviously it is a dangerous activity and if you are going to attempt it Id always say make sure you do so with experienced tombstoners who can give you that guidance and make sure the conditions are right.

Tombstoning is an activity which sees people jump from large heights into the sea. The coastguard says that, since 2005, 20 people have died nationally as a result of the activity.

The self-employed bricklayer said anyone attempting the activity should always check the conditions beforehand.

He said: A lot of it can come down to common sense: the main things to do are to check the depth of the water youre diving into, make sure theres no current and to go out in calm conditions, really.

You do get a lot of tourists and teenagers thinking just anyone can give it a go but obviously its only safe if you know what youre doing and youve got to respect the current.

The RNLI has urged people to stay safe and said whilst theyd never encourage or advocate people fallingstoning there were things to consider in order to reduce the risk of injury.

They said people should take precautions and consider the following:

Water changes depth with the tide, so the water may be shallower than it looks Submerged items may not be visible and can cause serious injury or paralysis if you hit them The water can be a lot colder than it looks so the shock of cold water may make it difficult to swim Always check for hazards in the water like submerged rocks People should never enter the water while under the influence of alcohol, drugs or peer pressure Important to check for access because it may be impossible to get out of the water Coasteering with a registered company is a safer alternative

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