EXCLUSIVE: Mother issued a warning about dangers of indoo

EXCLUSIVE: Mother warned her boyfriend got stuck inside the SAME indoor cave centre six years before father-of-four, 49, got trapped and died

• Carl O’Keeffe had been rushed to hospital but sadly died due to ‘severe injuries’
• Read more: Father dies eight days after getting stuck in indoor cave 

A mother warned six years ago about the dangers at an indoor caving where a father-of-four got trapped for four hours and later died in hospital, MailOnline can reveal.

Sharon Wright, 48, told of the ‘distress’ suffered by her family when partner Robert Ostle became stuck in the same indoor adventure cave where Carl O’Keeffe suffered fatal injuries.

Mr O’Keeffe, 49, was stuck for four hours whilst at Kong Adventure Centre in Keswick, Cumbria, and died eight days later in hospital from the injuries he sustained.

Miss Wright described the death as ‘a tragedy’ today, coming six years after she warned on Tripadvisor that the caving system was not safe.

She said in light of the tragic circumstances surrounding Mr O’Keeffe’s death she did not want to comment further.

Carl O’Keeffe, 49, was playing with children at a birthday party inside the Kong Adventure Centre in Keswick, Cumbria on April 22 when he slipped and got stuck inside a narrow tunnel

A mother warned of the dangers inside the indoor caving centre six years prior on TripAdvisor warning the centre was not safe after her partner ‘became stuck almost straight away’ 

Sharon Wright, 48, told of the ‘distress’ suffered by her family when partner Robert Ostle became stuck in the same indoor adventure. Pictured: Sharon and Robert 

However in her review she said: ‘Do not use the caving unless you are tiny and therefore this means most people cannot go in with their children.’

She also said that after the entrance to the caving area there was ‘no supervision.’

In her review she wrote: ‘Left this facility feeling very disappointed yesterday.

‘Went with my 12 yr old daughter and partner. Asked if we could book the caving. Lady asked how tall my partner was and told her 5ft 10 she replied fine as long as he’s not over 6ft. She saw him as she handed him the helmet to use so she could see he was quite broad too.

‘She directed us to the start of the cave and then that was it no supervision. He went first with my daughter following.

‘He became stuck almost straight away he tried to move on thinking there would be an escape route at some point but there wasn’t. My daughter became very distressed as she thought her step dad was stuck.

‘He remained calm for her sake but absolutely hated this experience. He managed to back out and we went back to reception. I told the lady that they hadn’t used the facility as he was too big and this has upset my daughter. No reaction from her! We left absolutely furious I had paid £17 for nothing and no apology for the misguidance.

‘I emailed them straight away as my daughter was visibly shaken by this experience. They took hours to reply only to say they couldn’t help and would bring to the managers attention. Wonder how long I will wait for this reply???

The terrifying incident happened at Kong Adventure Centre in Keswick, Cumbria

After staff at the centre were unable to rescue him, Keswick Mountain Rescue, air ambulance, fire crews and cave rescuers all scrambled to the scene. He was then rushed to Cumberland Infirmary in Carlisle where he died yesterday 

Miss Wright (pictured with her partner Robert) described the death as ‘a tragedy’ today, coming six years after she warned on Tripadvisor that the caving system was not safe

‘Overall terrible experience here. Do not use the caving unless you are tiny and therefore this means most people cannot go in with their children by you won’t be told about this………!’

Mr O’Keeffe, 49, from Lancaster, was rescued from the Kong Adventure on Saturday 22 April after reportedly slipping and becoming stuck inside one of the caves.

Staff at the rescue centre were unable to pull him out and emergency services were called just after 3pm.

Members from Cumbria Fire and Rescue, police, Keswick Mountain Rescue, Cumbria Ore Mines Rescue Unit, Great North Air Ambulance and the Northwest Ambulance Service’s Hazardous Area Response Team all attended the scene.

A closed cave at the Kong Adventure Centre in Keswick, Cumbria, in 2020

Mr O’Keeffe had entered the indoor cave at the adventure centre in the Lake District with his niece during a birthday party.

After becoming trapped, he was rescued more than four hours later and taken to the intensive care unit at Carlisle hospital with crush injuries.

But his family confirmed he passed away at 3pm on Sunday 30 April.

Staff said today that the caving centre was closed to the public and that no one from Kong wished to comment.

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