The incident happened in the Long Churn Cave system near Selside. Photo: Bob Smith Photography

A caver has died after falling in Diccan Pot in the Yorkshire Dales.

The Cave Rescue Organisation was alerted shortly before 12.30pm on Sunday to the incident near Selside.

A team spokesperson said the man was one of a group heading underground at the site, part of the Long Churn and Alum Pot system. One of the group was descending the first 30m (100ft) pitch when his colleagues heard a bang.

“When they pulled at the rope, they found that it was taut,” a CRO spokesperson said. “Access to the first pitch is by a traverse, meaning that someone standing at the top cannot see down it. Fearing that their team-mate might be suspended on the rope, the group called for help.”

The first rescue team members who reached the caver found him lying at the bottom of the pitch. They could find no signs of life.

“With the site recorded for police purposes, members lifted the man carefully into a stretcher and hauled him to the surface where paramedics confirmed that life was extinct.

“We hope that the caver’s family will find comfort in the fact that he was doing what he enjoyed so much and we regret that we could not have done anything to save him.”

The CRO thanked the University of Leeds for the use of their Pennine Hut as a base during the incident.

• The story’s headline has been amended in the light of Mr Lonsdale’s comment below