Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking?

Discussion in 'Bulletin Board ARCHIVE' started by DJ Fatty Boy, May 8, 2013.

Page 1 of 2
  1. DJ Fatty Boy

    DJ Fatty Boy Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2005
    Messages:
    4,346
    Likes Received:
    148
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    UK
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    a lad called Mark Thomas, he was a Barnsley fan. Well Mark was an old school mate of mine, we were really good mates for years, the last time I ever saw him was in 2000 outside Wembley just before the Barnsley v Ipswich Playoff Final.

    So ever since I moved to New Zealand I always wanted to go visit the place he'd died and mark the spot, so when my family came out to visit a couple of months back we set off to find the exact place and leave a Barnsley scarf. This is a video I've put together of me and my brother (Cunning Stunt) making that journey.

    http://youtu.be/-2RdURRKpys



    SHEFFIELD STAR STORY OF HIS DEATH

    A BACKPACKER from South Yorkshire fell to his death when he lost his footing and plunged 80ft down a waterfall on to rocks below while walking in a remote part of New Zealand, an inquest heard.

    Engineering student Mark Thomas, aged 28, was on a solitary trek to an isolated mountain hut to do some "serious meditation" when he slipped and fell, fracturing his skull.

    The Buddhist, of Stain-cross, Barnsley, may have taken a wrong turning and stopped to get his bearings when he slipped, the Sheff-ield inquest heard.

    His backpack was found placed on a ledge above the 20m drop at Stewart Falls in the Wanaka area of the South Island.

    A statement from Cameron Sigley, of the Lakes District police search and rescue squad in New Zealand, said: "The pack had been placed down on a small ledge which ran off into a 20m fall. The owner stopped for something, removed the pack and slipped on the greasy moss surface, falling 80ft on to the rocks below. It is impossible to say what caused him to fall, but he could have been trying to reorientate himself or take a picture." Mark's badly decomposed body was discovered in Stewart Gorge, 40 miles north of Wanaka, a year after he disappeared when an Australian tourist on a fishing trip told the authorities he'd seen a human hand.

    The court heard the keen skateboarder and climber had set off on a two year round-the-world trip in 2004, arriving in New Zealand in May. He was last seen when he checked into the Purple Cow backpackers' hostel in Wanaka on May 18.

    An email sent to a friend before his disappearance said the "call of the mountains" had got too much for him.

    An extract from Mark's travel journal said of his impending trek to the Makarova Hut: "It is going to be my first solitary retreat. I'm going up there to do some serious meditation." His mother Valerie said Mark described the area as "breathtakingly beautiful".

    "He was having a wonderful time," she said.

    Mark was due to start work at the Treble Cone Ski Fields in Wanaka and had arranged to meet a friend in Queenstown a few days later to go snowboarding, but never arrived.

    Four months after his disappearance his parents Valerie and Colin Thomas contacted police, but it wasn't until May 2005 that Mark's body was found.

    Recording a narrative verdict, Coroner Chris Dorries said: "It seems unlikely that Mark was going to meet anyone there that would do him any harm and it seems unlikely that he went with anybody, so I have to take the view that on the balance of probability he has had an accidental fall."
     
    DJ Fatty Boy, May 8, 2013
    #1
  2. Jay

    Jay Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2005
    Messages:
    43,332
    Likes Received:
    31,952
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    On Sofa
    Style:
    Barnsley
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    Good work.
     
    Jay, May 8, 2013
    #2
  3. monkey tennis

    monkey tennis Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2005
    Messages:
    3,142
    Likes Received:
    800
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    west green
    Home Page:
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    Nice tribute mate,recall reading about it in the chron,can't believe it's nearly 10 years ago. R.I.P
     
    monkey tennis, May 8, 2013
    #3
  4. Sparky

    Sparky Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 8, 2011
    Messages:
    4,040
    Likes Received:
    3,598
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    Well done lads a fitting tribute. RIP Mark
     
    Sparky, May 8, 2013
    #4
  5. Pas

    Pasta Banned Idiot

    Joined:
    Aug 29, 2009
    Messages:
    2,835
    Likes Received:
    0
    Trophy Points:
    36
    Location:
    In a good place...
    Home Page:
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    Great tribute pal......lovely to see.
     
    Pasta, May 8, 2013
    #5
  6. tob

    tobytykespuppy Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 22, 2009
    Messages:
    715
    Likes Received:
    402
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    DJ, nice tribute pal, I can't believe that it is 10 years ago. By the way I didn't know there were any bald hobbits in Lord of the Rings?
     
    tobytykespuppy, May 8, 2013
    #6
  7. kektyke

    kektyke Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2011
    Messages:
    3,146
    Likes Received:
    2,831
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Warehouse Manager
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    That's brilliant Matt well done mate, hope you and the family are keeping well

    Sent from my GT-I9300 using Forum Runner
     
    kektyke, May 8, 2013
    #7
  8. Ext

    Extremely Northern Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2011
    Messages:
    11,753
    Likes Received:
    1,949
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Professional Northerner.
    Location:
    Preparing for the 4th division
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    Chuffing hell - it's when you look back at pics of him as a bairn....

    Anyway, he'll be proud his mates did that for him, well done.
     
    Extremely Northern, May 8, 2013
    #8
  9. JLWBigLil

    JLWBigLil Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2005
    Messages:
    50,817
    Likes Received:
    32,824
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    A very moving tribute

    Thoughtful, compassionate & classy, too. Well done, mate.
     
    JLWBigLil, May 8, 2013
    #9
  10. Mrs

    MrsHallsToffeerolls Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2007
    Messages:
    27,230
    Likes Received:
    5,790
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Home Page:
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    Fantastic scenery and a fantastic tribute, well done You Reds.
     
    MrsHallsToffeerolls, May 8, 2013
    #10
  11. BarnsleyBomber

    BarnsleyBomber Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Mar 16, 2013
    Messages:
    4,685
    Likes Received:
    2,180
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Greenland
    Style:
    XenForo - Xenith Reds
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    brilliant tribute. enjoyed the footage. sad news about Mark the barnsley lad. read a few newspaper articles. must of been hard for his family missing for a year. RIP Mark
     
    BarnsleyBomber, May 8, 2013
    #11
  12. MarioKempes

    MarioKempes Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 3, 2008
    Messages:
    40,155
    Likes Received:
    7,178
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Project Manager
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    That's a really nice tribute. RIP Mark.
     
    MarioKempes, May 8, 2013
    #12
  13. Terry Nutkins

    Terry Nutkins Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2005
    Messages:
    15,213
    Likes Received:
    12,601
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Occupation:
    Music Producer/DJ/Promoter and Owner of Hush Hush
    Location:
    www.hushhush-events.com
    Home Page:
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    Very moving Matt and Gaz. He would be very proud of your efforts.

    RIP
     
    Terry Nutkins, May 8, 2013
    #13
  14. DSLRed

    DSLRed Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jan 13, 2006
    Messages:
    7,166
    Likes Received:
    5,380
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    wherever I lay my overnight bag!
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    Enjoyed that - nice video. And I'd love to visit NZ - it's on my long list of places to go.
     
    DSLRed, May 8, 2013
    #14
  15. Sopwith Camel

    Sopwith Camel Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2009
    Messages:
    12,582
    Likes Received:
    6,161
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Gender:
    Male
    Location:
    Present
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    I remember the story mate... your friend Mark was Buddhist and a Red ....
    Thuk je che...which is Tibetan, and translates as Thank you in the West....but what it really means is..You have a big heart..

    For Mark.. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gvo-CCtC3Zs

    DJ..may you be Happy and Well...
    Somam Senge..
     
    Sopwith Camel, May 8, 2013
    #15
  16. Cap

    Capital Tyke Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2006
    Messages:
    1,976
    Likes Received:
    808
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    LONDON SW
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    A lovely tribute. Well done mate.
     
    Capital Tyke, May 8, 2013
    #16
  17. Plankton Pete

    Plankton Pete Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 19, 2005
    Messages:
    9,297
    Likes Received:
    4,035
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    In hiding from the lynch mob
    Home Page:
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    Great work Matt.
     
    Plankton Pete, May 8, 2013
    #17
  18. cam

    cambstyke Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Dec 1, 2012
    Messages:
    1,436
    Likes Received:
    194
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Location:
    Cambridge
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    Very sad and very emotional, but a wonderful tribute to Mark. R.I.P. mate.

    Well done, Matt and Gaz.

    From someone who used to live in Mapplewell.
     
    cambstyke, May 8, 2013
    #18
  19. Merde Tete

    Merde Tete Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2005
    Messages:
    17,382
    Likes Received:
    16,566
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Lincoln
    Style:
    Barnsley (full width)
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    I don't remember the incident as it happens, but what a poignant and beautifully made tribute.

    On another note, many of the shots whilst driving could easily be shot in parts of Britain, even the road signs are identical to ours! Hard to believe that it's geographically about as far from Britain as one could posibly get in the inhabited world.
     
    Merde Tete, May 8, 2013
    #19
  20. Jay

    Jay Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Jul 18, 2005
    Messages:
    43,332
    Likes Received:
    31,952
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    On Sofa
    Style:
    Barnsley
    Re: Anyone remember the lad from Barnsley that died in New Zealand whilst backpacking

    I was thinking the same. Some parts with the mountains are obviously not Britain, but much of it is. There was one section where I could have sworn he was going over Woodhead pass.
     
    Jay, May 8, 2013
    #20
Page 1 of 2

Share This Page