Trampoline park visitors suffered serious injuries including fractured spines
03.11.2023 - 22:24
/ manchestereveningnews.co.uk
Two former directors of a popular trampoline and adventure park face punishment after visitors suffered serious injuries including fractured spines.
Matthew Melling, of Spinningfields, Manchester, and David Elliott Shuttleworth of Barlaston, Stoke-on-Trent, pleaded guilty to health and safety offences when they appeared at Chester Crown Court last month, CheshireLive reports.
The charges related to an investigation - carried out by Cheshire West and Chester Council's public protection team - into 270 known accidents involving the public at Flip Out Chester over a seven-week period between December 2016 and February 2017.
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A number of young people suffered significant injuries after using a piece of equipment known as the Tower Jump at the then newly-opened Chester Gates Business Park attraction.
According to Shuttleworth and Melling, the Tower Jump was said to be the largest of its kind in the world at that time. Shuttleworth resigned as director of the business in July 2018 while Melling walked away in January 2020, Companies House records show.
Shuttleworth and Melling, both 33, each pleaded guilty to an offence of failing to prevent exposure to risk when they appeared in the dock on October 9. The case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports with a date to be fixed.
Councillor Christine Warner, cabinet member for homes, planning and safer communities, said: "Our Public Protection team always deal strongly with businesses who put residents or visitors to the borough at risk. This business had