An inquest has heard of the desperate rescue attempt mounted to save a Liversedge kayaker’s life after his canoe became trapped underwater in a Dales river swollen by melted snow.

Fellow enthusiast James Pullen told the hearing into the death of Matthew Baird-Parker, 36, how he and fellow kayaker John Wootton, of Keighley, battled for half an hour to free him.

Mr Baird-Parker’s boat had became lodged under a tree in Arkle Beck, which joins the River Swale at Reeth.

As desperate attempts to keep Mr Baird-Parker above water failed, they left to raise the alarm and a major emergency operation swung into action involving 25 rescuers and two helicopters. It took fire officers 45 minutes to get the kayak out, with Mr Baird-Parker still trapped inside.

It was hoped that, although he had been underwater for about an hour, because he had been in freezing water, he could be revived, but he was pronounced dead at James Cook University Hospital in Middlesbrough. The cause of death was drowning and hypothermia.

Mr Pullen, of Darlington, told the inquest in Richmond a group of ten kayakers had met at Scotch Corner on January 21 with the three of them splitting off. He did not know Matthew well but said: “I have never met anyone who threw himself into the sport with such enthusiasm.”

On the beck, their problems began when they rounded a bend and there were two trees in the water. Mr Baird-Parker got caught sideways on the second tree and his kayak was pulled down, filling with water. His friends rushed to help.

“Matt was struggling and shouting and trying to free himself,” said Mr Pullen. “I tried to help him get his spray deck off, but as soon as I put my hand in the water I couldn’t feel anything, I lost all sensation and I just couldn’t get him out.

“He was losing consciousness and his lips had turned blue. I slapped his face to try and get him to regain consciousness. After ten minutes, he did slip under the water. I tried to breath into his mouth.”

The pair pushed from another angle downstream but could not free him.

Sergeant Stuart Grainger, of North Yorkshire Police, said there was no way the two kayakers would have been able to free Mr Baird-Parker working alone.

Coroner Robert Turnbull thanked the two kayakers and the emergency services. He recorded a verdict of accidental death.

Mr Baird-Parker had started work as a kayaking salesman at Robin Hood Watersports in Leeds Road, Heckmondwike, last September His family, who live in Kidderminster, Worcestershire, made a request that the tree should be cleared from the beck following the tragedy.

A tribute to Mr Baird-Parker was made by Mr Pullen after his death. He dedicated a route of Arkle Beck, which he wrote for the UK Rivers Guidebook, to the devoted kayaker.