Teacher killed in yachting accident

COASTGUARDS yesterday recovered a teacher's body after the yacht he was on was wrecked during a half-term holiday trip.

Maurice Parkin, 43, of Nailsea, Somerset, disappeared when Kishmul, a 29ft boat, struck rocks in gale-force conditions in the English Channel near Plymouth on Saturday.

Three of his companions were plucked from the sea by helicopter nearly an hour later while the fourth was found on the shore. All were treated in hospital for hypothermia and shock, but have since been discharged.

Mr Parkin, who was married, had been returning from a week-long trip to the Channel Islands and Cherbourg, France. He taught at St Mary, Church of England primary school in Redcliffe, Bristol.

His friends, also teachers, were named as Peter Midgley, 41, John Evans, 28, Martin Smietanko, 50, and John Edlin, 40, of Walsall, West Midlands.

The boat got into problems at around 9pm on Saturday as it neared the end of its voyage from Cherbourg to Plymouth.

Brixham coastguards received a radio distress message after the yacht went aground near the Shagstone Rock in atrocious conditions, with heavy seas and high winds.