Paramedic, 57, found dead by colleague after he was trapped under tree

Paramedic, 57, was found dead by a colleague after cutting down a tree with a chainsaw and becoming trapped underneath it

• Devoted paramedic was killed by a tree he was cutting down during his day off
• Robin Parry Jones, 57, was cutting down the large tree in Criccieth, North Wales
• Dog walker found him unconscious after he was stuck under a branch for hours
• Father-of-two seen to by a fellow first responder but tragically was already dead

A devoted paramedic was killed by a tree he was cutting down with a chainsaw he was testing on his day off – and was found dead by a colleague responding to the 999 call.

Grandfather Robin Parry Jones, 57, was cutting down the large tree in Criccieth, North Wales, when it fell on him, pinning his body underneath.

An inquest heard he was found unconscious by a dog walker under the large tree in a remote field, where he had been trapped for hours.

The father-of-two was seen to by a fellow first responder from the ambulance service who attended the scene following a 999 call, but tragically he was already dead. 

PC Dylan Roberts told the hearing Mr Parry Jones was ‘lying under one of the branches with the tree resting directly upon his chest’.

The inquest in Caernarfon heard he could not free himself because ‘his arms and hands were also underneath the branch’.

Grandfather Robin Parry Jones, 57, was cutting down the large tree in Criccieth, North Wales, when it fell on him, trapping his body underneath

The hearing was told Mr Parry Jones had been cutting down the tree for an acquaintance since early in the morning on June 23 and was not discovered until 9.40pm that night.

The field was on a back road near the seaside town of Criccieth.

Mr Parry Jones had been given permission by the landowner to cut down a tree because he wanted to check if his chainsaw was working properly before purchasing a new one.

The emergency worker, from Dinas, near Caernarfon, leaves behind wife Bethan and two children who were described as devastated by the tragedy.

He was a keen fisherman and loved dogs, even starting a dog grooming service when he was not saving lives.

Coroner Sarah Riley told the inquest that a post-mortem examination found the likely cause of death was ‘asphyxia due to weight of large tree on torso’.

Mr Parry Jones was a keen fisherman and loved dogs, even starting a dog grooming service when he was not saving lives

Giving a conclusion of accidental death, Ms Riley, said: ‘Mr Jones had the permission of the landowner to cut tree on their land for his own benefit. He was not employed by them to do so and this is therefore not a work-related death.

‘The body of the deceased was trapped under the fallen tree. This has been confirmed by pictures from the scene, seen by me. It appears to me that in the course of cutting the tree with a chainsaw, the tree has fallen, trapping Mr Jones.

‘It landed directly on his chest, restricting his respiratory capability. His death was unexpected and unintended.’

Health chiefs said Mr Parry Jones had worked for the Welsh Ambulance Service for more than 20 years having started as a trainee ambulance technician before qualifying as a paramedic.

Jason Killens, chief executive of the Welsh Ambulance Service, said: ‘Robin was a much-respected, loveable and happy-go-lucky person who was well known in the Pwllheli community.

‘He was one of the original community first responder ‘champions’, a true advocate for volunteers who became an integral link between volunteers and local stations.

Health chiefs said Mr Parry Jones had worked for the Welsh Ambulance Service for more than 20 years having started as a trainee ambulance technician before qualifying as a paramedic

‘Robin, who was originally from Caernarfon, had a real passion for community resilience, and his commitment to support volunteers in his own time is a reflection of his character.

‘In his spare time, Robin was a keen fisherman and a member of the local shooting community with fellow colleagues from Pwllheli.

‘A proud grandfather, Robin also loved dogs and had started a local dog grooming service.

‘The sudden and sad loss of Robin will be felt by all those that knew him, and we would like to extend our heartfelt condolences to Robin’s family, friends and colleagues at this difficult time.

‘All of us at the Welsh Ambulance Service work every day to contribute to the effort of saving lives, but we can never be prepared enough when it comes to assisting the ones we are the closest to.’

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