A Briton cheated death in a 5000ft parachute accident because of his instructor's sacrifice, it emerged yesterday.

The widow of instructor Michael Costello said she was convinced her husband had wrapped himself around Mr Gareth Griffiths, 27, after their parachutes failed to open and they plunged to the ground.

Mr Costello was killed in the Florida accident but management consultant Mr Griffiths, from Bridgend, South Wales, survived, and was last night recovering in hospital.

Mrs Sandi Costello said the fact that Mr Griffiths survived the fall was a ''comfort'' to her and that she intended to send him a message in hospital.

''When he realised the 'chutes were not going to open, we believe Michael wrapped himself around his student to save his life,'' she said from their home in Umatilla, Florida.

''It was very intentional, and we know that if he had survived, he would have done it again. He had tremendous experience, and loved parachuting and flying.''

Mr Griffiths' father, David, 67, said: ''It is just a miracle he is not dead. But our feelings are entirely with the family of the instructor who was killed.''

Mr Griffiths' mother, Fay, also 67, of Greenfield Avenue, Bridgend, added: ''We are all still terribly worried about what the effect of his injuries might be. But thank God somehow he is alive.

''It was Gareth's first sky-dive - and I certainly hope he will never do another one again''.

The two parachutists were making a tandem dive - with Mr Griffiths strapped to the front of his instructor - when they plummeted into a field near Umatilla airport in central Florida.

Mr Griffiths, who is single, underwent seven hours of surgery for lower back injuries at Orlando Medical Centre Hospital and was said to be in a serious but comfortable condition.

A spokesman for Mr Griffiths' company, Andersen Consulting, said yesterday: ''All the employees are thinking of Gareth Griffiths and his family at this time.''

One of the group, Michael Tighe, saw the accident, but at first did not realise it was Gareth.

He said: ''The instructor saved Gareth's life.

''We have spoken to him in hospital, where he is in a lot of pain. He has just had an operation on his back ... and the doctors are pleased with him.''

Surgeons at Orlando Medical Centre said the operation to insert pins in his lower back appeared to have been a success, and at the family's home, Mrs Griffiths said: ''Gareth is still in intensive care but stable.

''We are just praying we will be able to speak to him in the next 24 hours or so. The whole family just feels so sorry for the family of the poor instructor who died. Our hearts go out to them.''

Gareth's twin brother David was last night preparing to fly to Florida to be at his bedside.

David said he had learned more details of how Mr Costello, in the final seconds of the plunge, may have twisted around in his harness to cushion the blow of landing in order to save his pupil.

''If he managed to do that for my brother then that is terribly heroic and brave,'' David said. ''We have been rocked backwards by that thought.''

One of Mr Griffiths' companions last night said he also thought the instructor may have died to save his pupil.

Mr Keith Bush was one of a group of three people watching from the ground and unable to comprehend what was happening.

He said Mr Griffiths was doing ''remarkably well'' in hospital after an operation last night, able to breathe and move his body.

''They deployed the main 'chute and it didn't open properly,'' he said.

''Then they deployed the reserve, and that one didn't work either.

''When they landed, the instructor landed below Mr Griffiths.'' said Mr Bush.

''We really did not know enough about the situation to realise how serious the nature of it was. It was just total confusion,'' he added.

Ambulance and safety workers arrived ''unbelievably'' quickly, appearing within five minutes.

Asked if the instructor may have sacrificed his own life to save Mr Griffiths, Mr Bush said: ''It is possible - yes, definitely, definitely.''

He said he did not believe Mr Griffiths realised at first what had happened.

''He was in too much pain. From what he said, he just had a really big impression of ground-rush, the ground coming towards them.''

Mr Bush said the Federal Aviation Authority were studying the accident, but did know yet know what had happened.