A mother-of-two shattered her foot in 30 places and was unable to walk for a year after she jumped 30ft off a waterfall as part of the dangerous ‘tombstoning’ craze.
Adrenaline junkie Claire Graham, 32, jumped off the Falls of Falloch, near Crianlarich, Stirling, while taking part in the craze on July 12 last year.
After being forced to give up her job as an accountant Ms Graham is now warning others of the dangerous side of the popular challenge.
Ms Graham, from Parkhead in Glasgow, said: ‘When I did it I was thinking it would be fine because I love jumping from heights – I’m such an adrenaline junkie.
Adrenaline junkie Claire Graham, 32, shattered her foot in 30 places after jumping off the Falls of Falloch, near Crianlarich, Stirling, last year
Ms Graham has spent much of the past year in a wheelchair after the injury to her foot (pictured) and has only just come off crutches
‘It was a nice sunny day but I guess I misjudged the jump. When it was my turn to jump I hit an overhanging rock which just put me into a massive shock.
‘I was there for ages waiting for a helicopter which came and I was airlifted to hospital. It was so painful and just a horrible experience.’
Ms Graham spent much of the year in a wheelchair and has only recently come off crutches. She is now awaiting foot fusion surgery.
She added: ‘I can’t believe that it’s been a year down the line since I had that injury but I’m still having to pay the price for it.
‘Even my 10 year old [Pamela] and 12 year old [Barry] think I’m stupid for jumping and my foot still looks swollen.
‘It’s a bit of a shame for the kids because I can’t play with them anymore, I’m not allowed to even drive.’
After Ms Graham was injured the Killin Mountain Rescue team moved Claire to a position where the coastguard helicopter could reach her before airlifting her to hospital where she had metal scaffolding put into her foot.
The dangerous craze is nicknamed ‘tombstoning’ because the straight vertical position of the body as it enters the water resembles a tombstone.
According to the Marine and Coastguard Agency, 20 people have died and a further 70 have been injured while taking part in the craze between 2004 and 2014.
Ms Graham (pictured here during the accident) was taking part in the tombstoning craze which saw 20 people die between 2004 and 2014
Her foot is still swollen a year later and she has had to give up her job as an accountant because her planned foot fusion surgery will involve six months of recovery