A PARAGLIDER was left badly bruised after crash-landing on the top of the Malvern Hills.

The thrill-seeker suffered a leg injury after his glider failed yesterday afternoon (Thursday, May 21).

West Midlands Ambulance Service was called to the highest point of the Malvern Hills after the incident at 3pm.

They sent two ambulances, a community paramedic in a rapid response vehicle, a paramedic area support officer, the Hazardous Area Response Team and the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance to the scene.

Bryan Hindle, treasurer of the Malvern Hang Gliding Club, said the injured paraglider had been badly bruised in the fall and luckily not suffered any broken bones.

He said: "He was a visiting pilot who takes part in national competitions, so he was very experienced.

"Most pilots wouldn't have considered flying yesterday because it was too windy.

"The conditions would've been considered marginal for most pilots.

"I understand that he has been released from hospital and he's just badly bruised."

Mr Hindle said that although paragliding is classed as an extreme sport, the risks are not as bad as some people think.

"The way I would explain it is that when you go abroad on an activity holiday to do something like skiing or paragliding, the insurance for skiing is more expensive.

"The risks [for paragliders] are a lot less than people think.

"People call us an extreme sport but wouldn't call skiing an extreme sport and that's arguably more dangerous."

A West Midlands Ambulance Service spokesman said: "On arrival, crews discovered a man whose paraglider had failed and caused him to land in an uncontrolled manner.

"He had suffered a leg injury as a result and was treated at the hillside before being transported to the waiting land ambulance by the fire service’s 4x4 multi-terrain vehicle.

"He was then transported to Worcester Royal Hospital for further treatment."

A Hereford and Worcester Fire Service spokeswoman said: "A paraglider had fallen and they needed our help with the location to assist to transport him back to the ground.

"We went up there with an all-terrain vehicle from Malvern.

"He was on the top of the hills, at the highest point – right on the Beacon."