Miriam Barker was in her third year at Southampton University, where she studied history and philosophy, when a friend persuaded her to join the Skydiving Society.

She tackled her first jump, and while her parachute did end up opening correctly, she landed heavily, flipping upside down and fracturing her neck and back on the impact.

The accident took place at Dunkeswell Airfield in Devon, rendering her tetraplegic due to serious damage caused to her spine. She’s now being forced to use a wheelchair and claims her life has come to a complete standstill. She’s now seeking serious compensation over the long-term effects of this accident on her health.

She has rolled out legal action against all jump organizers, Skydive Buzz, and a university GP, where she claims that she was wrongly signed off as medically fit to skydive when that was not the case.

Both parties are denying blame for the tragedy and are now fighting the case in the High Court of London. Documents stated how Ms Barker was seeing a counsellor and was just about to begin a course of cognitive behavioral therapy when she opted to join the university’s skydiving society.