TRIBUTES have been paid to an airman who fell to his death in a parachuting accident at the weekend.

Investigations are under way as to how Andrew Wilson, of St Helen Auckland, near Bishop Auckland, died after the jump at the Peterlee Parachute Centre, Peterlee.

The 25-year-old's body was found in a field almost a mile away from the Shotton airfield on Saturday morning.

This week, staff at RAF Leeming, where Mr Wilson was based, paid tribute to a 'very private person' who will be 'greatly missed.'

Corporate communications officer Laura Kerr said: "Andrew was a private person who lived off station with his parents. He commanded significant respect from those who worked alongside him and would have undoubtedly become an excellent commander in the near future.

"Andrew will be greatly missed by many service personnel at Royal Airforce Leeming and our thoughts are with his family and friends at this tragic time."

Mr Wilson was an experienced parachutist who had taken more than 100 jumps. He was due to attend an instructors course next month.

Stunned staff at the Peterlee Parachute Centre said that everything about his jump had looked fine, although they did not witness the final 200ft.

Ian Rosenvinge, who owns the centre, said: "His descent was normal but we couldn't see him for the last 100 to 200 feet because he went out of sight. What happened after that I can only speculate.

"It was his first jump in the UK. He had been to have a look around the centre in March and was going to jump then but the weather wasn't good so he came back at the weekend.

"He was a very experienced parachutist who knew what he was doing, otherwise we would not have let him jump.

"My immediate thoughts and those of the staff at the centre are with his family. They must be devastated by the whole thing."

Mr Wilson's parents and sister were too upset to talk about the tragedy, but his mother Christine said she was very proud of her son.

Police have confirmed that there are no suspicious circumstances surrounding Mr Wilson's death and that they had passed on their findings to the British Parachuting Association and Health and Safety Executive, who will be investigating further.