A member of the Bollington Paracenders is fighting for life in hospital after falling from the sky in a paragliding accident.

The man was seriously injured during a ‘heavy landing’ while undertaking a parascending launch at City Airport, in Eccles, Salford.

Emergency crews were scrambled to the airfield at around 8am on Sunday morning (May 21).

The injured man - a member of the Bollington Paracenders - suffered serious injuries and was rushed to hospital in a critical condition, police say.

Photographs show police and ambulance service staff trying to help him at the scene on Sunday morning.

One horrified witness described the moment he saw the man tumbling from the sky.

He said: “I was walking my dog around 8am when I noticed the paraglider around 50ft high and about to release himself from the towing cable.

“As soon as he did this one side of the parachute appeared to fold. That is when he plummeted to the ground.

“I ran over to the fence, I noticed he was not moving. The emergency services were called in that time. I did not see him move at all, hope he is ok.”

Greater Manchester Police said the incident is now being investigated by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch.

A GMP spokesman said the man is ‘desperately ill’ after suffering serious injuries during the incident.

He added: “A paragliding accident took place at Barton Airport at around 8am this morning.

“The man is currently fighting for his life in hospital.

“The report has come to police from the aerodrome and will be investigated by the Air Accidents Investigation Branch and the National Paragliding Association.”

The man is a member of the Bollington Paracenders, a group of around 20, who fly parascending flights.

The group operates regularly from City Airport on weekend mornings throughout the summer months.

Parascenders are towed up into the air using a long toe rope before gliding back down to earth.

It is understood that the long-term member of the club, who regularly flies at the airport, was seriously injured during the descent.

A spokesman from Barton Airport said: “At 08:05 this morning (21st May), a member of the Bollington Parascenders was involved in an incident involving a heavy landing whilst undertaking a parascending launch.

“The on-site emergency service attended immediately followed by Ambulance paramedics who provided medical assistance. The person was taken to hospital shortly afterwards.

“The cause of the incident is not yet known and will be investigated by the appropriate regulatory bodies – British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association (BHPA) and Air Accident Investigation Branch (AAIB).

“Bollington Parascenders are a small member organisation that fly parascending flights regularly from City Airport on weekend mornings throughout summer months.”

Bollington Paracenders is one of the oldest clubs of its kind in the world. Established in 1973 the club has a small number of experienced members and instructors who use the airfield during weekend mornings. A spokesman for the club said the serious incident will now be investigated.

He added: "Our thoughts are with this member who we are hoping will recover."