A WEALTHY British businessman who owns the company that makes the two-wheeled Segway has been found dead in a river in northern England after apparently falling off a cliff on one of the vehicles, police said yesterday.

A millionaire businessman whose company builds and markets the Segway upright scooter died when he apparently rode one of his machines over a cliff and into a river, it was disclosed today.

Segway Inc, maker of the Personal Transporter electronic scooter, has been acquired by a British company.