Rochdale walker found dead in Snowdonia

Reporter: Jan Harwood
Date online: 04 August 2008

The body of a Rochdale man missing for nearly a week was recovered from a gully on a steep mountainside in Snowdonia yesterday (Sunday 3 August).

Rescue teams discovered, the man, believed to be in his 50s, after scouring the mountains and valleys for nearly five hours.

The man had been camping in the area and was found on the east face of Tryfan.

Campsite owners raised the alarm last week after he hadn't packed up his tent on the day he was due to leave.

On Saturday night the man's rucksack was found on a footpath near to Tryfan, which prompted yesterday's search by the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue team.

The man's body was found buried beneath leaves and bracken shortly after 1.30pm.

Police are not releasing the man’s name until his relatives have been informed.

A spokesman for Ogwen Valley said: “At 11.30pm on Saturday night we were enlisted in the search for a missing man.

”We began at 8.30am on Sunday morning around the area where a rucksack belonging to the man was found near Heather Terrace.

“We believe the man is in his late 50s and from the Rochdale area of Manchester.

“He was staying at the campsite but hadn’t paid his camping fees for some days.

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

“We were assisted by the police helicopter and RAF 22 Squadron but there was limited visibility.

“At 6pm tonight, the body was carried off the mountain.”

Investigations are continuing into the tragedy and a post mortem is to be carried out.