A man has died after a tree landed on him while he was camping in Cornwall. 

The 25-year-old from Southampton, who has been named by family members as Ryan O’Carroll, was on a surfing holiday when the ‘freak accident’ happened shortly after midnight on Saturday. 

Police received reports that a man had been seriously injured at Tehidy Country Park in Redruth. 

South Western Ambulance Service said they sent three ambulances, an air ambulance and a rapid response vehicle to the scene after being alerted at around 12:30am on Saturday.

He was rushed to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth by air ambulance with serious head injuries, but doctors could not save him. He died on Sunday morning.

Cornwall Council, which owns the park, said the man was camping “outside of the designated camping area”.

His wife Stephanee Leal O’Carroll posted two tributes on social media platform Instagram, describing the day she met her late husband as “the best day of [her] life”. 

She said: “This whole thing has been surreal… I can’t believe you won’t be next to me anymore we were inseparable. You changed my life, I became a better person because of you, you loved me unconditionally and you inspired me everyday.”

O’Carroll, who was the founder and chief executive of Southampton business Yo Telecom, was praised by the company as being “one of a kind”.

The statement read: “He was an incredibly passionate individual who
inspired and had a tremendously positive impact on everyone who had the pleasure of knowing him and crossing his path.”

The company released a statement from O’Carroll’s family, which said that he “loved life life and lived it to the fullest”.

The family said: “He had built a successful telecoms business with his partner, Nathan. Employing close to 60 staff, including his brother Derek and sister Jess. He got married to his wife Stephanee two years ago and had his whole future set up ahead of him.

“We are very proud that he was our son and what he achieved, his legacy will forever go on. He will be sorely missed and loved by all of us deeply.”

Natalie Jupp, who was driving past the scene when the accident happened, told BBC News that she was flagged down by a young boy holding a torch.

She said she and her son helped a woman who was trapped in a tent to escape, and then tried to move the tree off the man before performing first aid.

“It was horrifying and a freak accident,” she said.

She added that she believed the family were staying in a hammock tent that was hanging 9ft above the ground between three trees.

A spokeswoman for Devon and Cornwall Police said they were notified about concerns for the welfare of a man at the country park.

She added: “Reports came in that a man had received serious head injuries after a tree had fallen where the man had been staying in a tent and was taken to Derriford Hospital. The man later died as a result of injuries.”

The incident is not being treated as suspicious, she added. 

Shirley Northey, a spokeswoman for the council said: “Our thoughts and condolences are with the family and friends of the young man who has sadly lost his life in this tragic incident which happened outside of the designated camping area at Tehidy Country Park.”