Schoolboy killed in mountain fall

Hayden was on a trip to Austria with other pupils from the Howard School

A 12-year-old boy from Kent has fallen to his death while trekking on a school trip in southern Austria.

Hayden Waller, a pupil at the Howard School in Rainham, died from a broken neck and severe head injuries.

Medway Council said he was hiking with three friends near Mallnitz on Monday afternoon when he lost his footing and fell 30ft (9m).

Another boy was slightly injured. Paul Morris, Hayden's head teacher, said staff and pupils were "devastated".

Speaking outside the school, he said the accident was a tragic loss.

"I would like to send my deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Hayden Waller.

"I went to Hayden's parents' home last night and told them of the death of their son."

The four boys were attempting to walk up the mountain to a local viewpoint but strayed from the safety of the path to take a short cut, according to the Mallnitz director of tourism, Peter Angermann.

I am very confident that the Howard School staff and everyone involved did everything by the book Hayley Waller

A police spokesman in the town told the BBC: "They came back to the hotel about four o'clock from skiing and asked the teacher if they could go shopping for food and drink.

"They teachers didn't know they climbed up this hill."

He said the boys were wearing trainers on the climb, on rocky and icy terrain.

Hayden's parents, Hayle and Gary Waller, from Wigmore, have flown to Mallnitz, in the southern province of Carinthia.

'Tragic accident'

"I want to make it clear that no-one should be blamed for this terrible accident," said Mrs Waller in a statement issued by Medway Council.

"I am very confident that the Howard School staff and everyone involved did everything by the book.

"This was a just a tragic accident."

She paid tribute to her "adventurous little boy", adding: "Everyone loved him".

"He was the most lovable, likeable child you have ever come across and we are absolutely devastated."

She said Hayden's younger brother would be starting at the Howard in September and she would be happy to let him go on a similar trip.

The group had decided to turn back from their climb when another boy slipped and Hayden attempted to help him, falling to his death.

One of the youngsters ran down the hillside and told a passer-by what had happened, but when emergency services and a rescue helicopter reached the scene Hayden was already dead.

Rose Collinson, director of children's services at Medway Council, added it would play a "full part" in an investigation into the youngster's death.

A council spokesman said it would not comment on whether the boys were unsupervised at the time of the accident until the Austrian police investigation was complete.

The council said there were 39 pupils, aged from 12 to 18, on the trip with seven teaching staff.

They were due to stay until Sunday but would now be returning early.

Pupils from the school had been travelling to the same resort for 20 years.