Tributes paid to dead mountaineer

Jules Cartwright and Julie Colverd were descending Piz Badile

The British climbing community has paid tribute to a leading mountaineer who was killed in an accident in the Alps.

Sheffield-based Jules Cartwright, 29, and Julie Colverd, 43, from Essex, were roped together when they fell to their deaths on Piz Badile in Switzerland.

Mr Cartwright, who was originally from Herefordshire, was described as an "incredibly talented climber" by his peers in the mountaineering community.

The British Mountaineering Council said his loss was "a huge a blow".

Mr Cartwright was guiding Ms Colverd when the pair slipped on a steep snow slope on Wednesday morning.

If ever things turned bad in the big mountains, Jules was the guy to have at your side Fellow mountaineer Rich Cross

Two other members of the four-strong group were airlifted to safety. A local police spokesman said the pair fell from the mountain's north-east face and were probably killed instantly.

Helicopters and mountain rescue guides were used to recover the bodies.

Mr Cartwright, who was in the final stages of qualifying as a professional mountain guide, was helping his client Ms Colverd when they fell.

A British Mountaineering Council spokesman said: "Jules Cartwright was an extremely accomplished and highly motivated mountaineer.

"He was part of a very active group of young British climbers responsible for many first ascents around the world.

"He was more than qualified for the climb on the Piz Badile."

Friend and fellow mountaineer Rich Cross said: "If ever things turned bad in the big mountains, Jules was the guy to have at your side.

"He was a central figure in the British mountaineering community and one of the most sociable people I've ever known. We will all miss him."

On Thursday, the Metropolitan Police said it was deeply saddened by the death of Ms Colverd, who joined the service in 1982 and worked as an officer in East London.

She had been a member of the Specialist Firearms Unit for the past 11 years.