大象传媒

Brecon Beacons lightning strike victim named as Jeremy Prescott

  • Published
Jeremy Prescott and his dog CharlieImage source, Telford Council
Image caption,

Jez Prescott has been described as a 'dedicated individual'

One of the two men who died after lightning strikes on the Brecon Beacons has been named as a Duke of Edinburgh Award expedition leader.

Jeremy 'Jez' Prescott, 51, from Telford, Shropshire, was "doing something he loved" when he died, his family said.

A tribute said: "We are obviously devastated to lose Jez, who was both a beloved husband and father."

Two people died and two were treated in hospital after the strike on Sunday.

One has now been released from hospital.

A Royal Marines cadet instructor who tried to help on Corn Du described the scene as "something out of a movie".

Mr Prescott's family said: "He was doing something he loved in a place he loved and had said only 10 minutes before the incident happened that he was glad he was up on the mountain and that it was a lovely day.

"Jez was passionate about his work with young people for the Duke of Edinburgh Award (DoE), which he had done part-time for Telford and Wrekin Council since 2001."

Image source, Kenneth Yarham/Geograph
Image caption,

Two casualties were airlifted to hospital from Cribyn

In a statement, the council described him as a "dedicated individual" and said it is considering how it can pay tribute to his work with young people.

"It was in this role that Jez was a team leader for a DoE expedition on the Brecon Beacons when he was fatally struck by lightning in a sudden storm at a check point on the group's route.

A DoE spokesman said the organisation was "shocked and saddened" by the death.

It is believed all four casualties were men from England.

James Nunn, of the Windsor and Eton Sea Cadets, was training in the beacons when the lightning strikes happened and said it was like "something out of a movie".

He said the weather "turned very bad", adding: "As we were climbing up we heard the lightning strike the top of the mountain."

Image caption,

Scene of the lightning strikes on Sunday

Four mountain rescue teams had been called to separate incidents at the summits of Corn Du and Cribyn on Sunday.

One person was treated at Swansea's Morriston Hospital for burns and the other, who has now been released from hospital, was treated at Prince Charles Hospital in Merthyr Tydfil.