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Snowdonia fall death shocks walker's pals

Damon Wilkinson
8/ 8/2008

TRIBUTES have been paid to a walker who died after falling from a Welsh mountainside.

Rescuers discovered the body of Jack White, of Holland Rise, College Bank, on Sunday in a gully on the Eastern face of Tryfan, Snowdonia.

It is thought he fell between 200 and 300 feet.

As the Observer reported on Wednesday, Mr White had been missing for nearly a week.

Campsite owners raised the alarm after he failed to remove his tent.

The 58-year-old fitter was a member of Rochdale Ramblers Association and was also a keen cyclist and motorcyclist.

Derek Clutterbuck, chairman of the association, said: "The news has come as a big shock.

"He was a good friend who I had walked with on many occasions and he made a great contribution to the group.

"He would often lead walks for the association and was great company. He will be greatly missed."

Members of the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Team began searching for Mr White on Sunday morning.

They were assisted by helicopters from North Wales Police and the RAF, which made sweeps of the area, but were hampered by poor visibility.

Rescuers eventually found the body partly covered by undergrowth at about 1.30pm.

A spokesman for the rescue team said: "We began the search at 8.30am on Sunday around the area where a rucksack belonging to the man was found.

"Crews searched the main gully on the east face of Tryfan where the body was found beneath heather and bracken."

An inquest into the death has been opened and adjourned.