The widow of a man who died when their canoe capsized on a lake near the Powys/Shropshire border said they were not warned of the risks.Brenda Phillips was speaking yesterday at the trial of David Proctor, manager of Bethania Adventure at Lake Vyrnwy.
Proctor, 58, of Cwm Conwy, Llanwyddyn, denies three health and safety charges relating to the death of David Phillips, 68, of Buckinghamshire, on August 2, 2004.
The charges state the personal flotation device provided was insufficient, that Proctor failed to provide adequate sweeps of the lake and also failed to monitor the boundaries.
At Wrexham Magistrates Court, Mr Owen Edwards, prosecuting, said they would look at whether Proctor told Mr and Mrs Phillips not to paddle beyond a certain point on the lake, the adequacy of the safety suit and the adequacies of the sweeps.
Mrs Phillips told the court that the canoe had resembled a rowing boat and that they had said they had not taken one out before.
They were given life jackets, now known to be buoyancy aids, and were told a sweep would be made every 15 minutes.
She said: “The fact no-one said anything about the risk of capsize - we felt we were being well looked after.
“He told us the right way to hold the paddle, not to lean over the same side at the same time, not to go near the fishing boats and not to go in front of the water tower.
“He didn’t mention the word capsize or I think I would have got out of the boat.”
Mrs Phillips added that the weather changed “dramatically” while they were on the lake.
She said it had gone dark and “the wind was whipping up it was becoming rough”.
The court heard the couple decided to cross the lake as they were concerned about not getting the boat back on time and thought there would be more shelter on the other side.
Mrs Phillips added: “Without any warning we were just in the water under the boat. I didn’t even feel it lifting.”
The court heard the couple initially stayed with the boat thinking the speed boat would come along on the sweep, but they got tired and cold so tried to swim to shore thinking the jackets would keep them afloat.
Mrs Phillips said: “I let go of the boat and that was last time I saw him.
She said Mr Phillips initially responded to her calls as she swam to shore but then he didn’t answer.
The trial continues.
By Suzanne Roberts
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