A cyclist left paralysed after he fell off a footbridge in Beddington Park has lost his fight for damages from Sutton Council.
Christopher Edwards crushed his spine when he lost his footing on the 150-year-old bridge as he pushed his bike.
He fell about four feet onto rocks in water below the ornamental bridge in the Wallington park six years ago when he was 64.
Mr Edwards, from Sutton, complained the council had not carried out adequate risk assessments and should have put protective barriers on the bridge.
A judge had ruled in his favour following a High Court hearing and said the council was largely to blame.
But three appeal judges have upheld a challenge by the council following a Court of Appeal hearing in London, saying that sometimes no one is to blame for an accident.
Council bosses argued the bridge did not constitute a danger - and said they had no duty to "warn of the obvious".
Appeal judges Lady Justice Arden, Lord Justice Lewison and Lord Justice McCombe agreed with the council.
Lord Justice McCombe, said he sympathised with Mr Edwards but added: "Not every accident - even if it has serious consequences - has to be the fault of another."
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