Man electrocuted by cable during run near Kirkby Lonsdale

A runner who was electrocuted by a low-hanging electricity cable died in a “rare and complex” sequence of events, a coroner has concluded.

John Oates, 29, known as Harry, died instantly after coming into contact with the live line on a public footpath in Lupton near Kirkby Lonsdale, Cumbria, on 27 October 2023.

An inquest in Cockermouth heard that at the time there were no automatic means of detecting the Electricity North West hanging line.

Electricity North West said Mr Oates’ family had its “heartfelt sympathies” and it would continue to work with other operators on “learnings from this immensely sad accident”.

Senior coroner Kirsty Gomersal has issued a Prevention of Future Deaths Report to the Energy Networks Association (ENA), but the details have not yet been published.

ENA, the energy industry trade body, said it was considering the report.

The inquest, which lasted for four days, heard that Mr Oates was training for a half-marathon on the day he died.

Just after 14:00 BST he was on a field footpath at Badger Gate when he came into contact with the 11 kv electricity conductor and was killed instantly.

It also heard that the conductor had been “released from its usual position on 25 October and became suspended on equipment lower down the pole”.

The conductor remained live and it had not been reported, the inquest heard.

Ms Gomersal concluded that Mr Oates died due to a “rare and complex sequence of events”.

A spokesperson for Electricity North West said its “heartfelt sympathies remain with Harry Oates’ family”.

They said both the coroner and Health and Safety Executive noted “it was a rare and complex sequence of events that were unforeseeable”.

“Safety is our number one value, and we will continue to work with other distribution network operators and ENA, on learnings from this immensely sad accident,” the spokesperson added.