Millionaire owner of Segway firm dies in freak accident after riding one of his two-wheel machines o

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Millionaire owner of Segway firm dies in freak accident after riding one of his two-wheel machines off a cliff

By Gavin Allen
Last updated at 1:40 PM on 27th September 2010The multi-millionaire owner of the Segway company died in a freak accident yesterday when he rode one of the high-tech two-wheel machines off a cliff and into a river.Former miner Jimi Heselden, 62, plunged into the River Wharfe while riding around his West Yorkshire estate in Boston Spa on a rugged country version of the Segway.He bought the firm last December and was using one of the machines - which use gyroscopes to remain upright and are controlled by the direction in which the rider leans - to inspect the grounds of his property.Jimi Heselden, the multi-millionaire owner of the Segway company, died in a freak accident when he rode one of the high-tech two-wheel machines off a cliff and into a riverA spokesman for West Yorkshire Police said today: 'Police were called at 11.40am yesterday to reports of a man in the River Wharfe, apparently having fallen from the cliffs above.'A Segway-style vehicle was recovered. He was pronounced dead at the scene.
'At this time we do not believe the death to be suspicious.'Invesitgators are probing whether there was a fault with his particular machine or it was driver error.His death comes just a week after he became one of the UK's most generous philanthropists, having given away £10million to a charity foundation he set up in 2008.  He had previously given £13million to the same organisation.Mr Heselden was worth £166million and ranked 395th on the Sunday Times Rich List - above X Factor boss Simon Cowell. The ex-miner made his fortune with Leeds-based defence company Hesco Bastion.The company pioneered 'blast walls' - steel-mesh baskets - which replaced sandbags as protection for soldiers on the frontline in Afghanistan and Iraq. 
But he also strongly believed in giving back to the community and two years ago set up the Leeds Community Foundation in his home city with a £10million donation, which he topped up with a further £3million in 2009 and another £10million last week.The organisation helps disadvantaged youngsters, vulnerable elderly people and health improvement projects in the south and east of the city.

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