This was the scary moment when a UK skydiver momentarily free-fell at 4,000 feet after a parachute malfunction forced him to cut loose and deploy the backup chute.

Footage filmed by Mark Watson on September 20 shows his perilous descent when his initial chute fails to properly open, sending him falling to the ground.

Without panic, Watson releases himself from the twisted ropes and momentarily free falls at 4,000 feet but is able to deploy the backup parachute comfortably.

Watson explained in detail what happened: "This was a normal skydive from a plane at the end of the day, at a drop zone in the UK.

"We jumped from 14,000ft.

"I split from the main group (other skydivers) at around 6,000ft and deployed my 'main' (the orange/black) parachute at 4,000ft.

"By the time it was above my head it would have been around 3,000ft.

"The lines between myself and the parachute then twisted to the point it was uncontrollable and started to 'dive'.

"This in effect means that the parachute and myself are facing the ground (parallel with the ground) instead of the parachute being above my head.

"When the parachute spins like this you begin to lose altitude very quickly.

"Once I knew the situation was unrecoverable, that is when you see me deploy my reserve parachute by pulling something on my chest called a 'cutaway handle'.

"This releases the main parachute automatically and deploys the reserve.

"I then landed without event.

"The main parachutes are worth a lot of money but luckily a local lad saw it land behind his house and brought it back to the DZ after.

"The video was shot on the last 'lift' of the day on Sunday 20th September in Nottingham, England.

"The last lift of the day is always called 'the sunset load'."