Charity trekker dies on Scafell

Joe Kelly, 54, was among ten people on a charity hike up the 3,000-feet high Scafell in the Lake District.

Mr Kelly, a self employed joiner, of Full View, Mill Hill, Blackburn, suffered a suspected heart attack.

Another walker called the emergency services on his mobile phone but he was found to be dead by the time rescuers arrived.

Mr Kelly's distraught fiance, Vera Livesey, 54, is being comforted by her family.

The couple had been engaged for three years and were planning an October wedding.

She said: "He went out very happy and looking forward to the walk and never came back.

"He was a great man and was very well liked. As far as we know he never had any illnesses.

"He loved playing badminton and walking in the Yorkshire Dales.

"This was the third time he had done the walk and I believe he was quite near the peak when it happened. It's a terrible shock." Mrs Livesey's brother, John Caswell, had travelled from the West Midlands for the walk in aid of Syringomylia Research and was with Mr Kelly when he died.

Mr Kelly's was the second death on the Lake District mountains in a Bank Holiday weekend of tragedy in the bad weather.

A spokesman for Cumbria Police said: "A mountain rescue team from Wasdale in West Cumbria, was alerted to help Mr Kelly when news of his collapse reached us late on Sunday.

"When the rescuers arrived at the scene they found that he had died."

A report of Mr Kelly's death is being prepared for the coroner.

Police in the county yesterday warned all hill walkers and tourists to stay away from the Lake District mountains.

A spokesman added: "Two people have died on the mountains, two others have been seriously injured and 11 have been treated for injuries.

"The gale force winds and heavy rain, which falls as snow on the high ground, has taken its toll."

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