Tributes flood in for Telford youth worker killed by lightning strike in Brecon Beacons

Jeremy Prescott, from Little Dawley, was spending time doing what he loved most when he lost his life in freak circumstances.

The 51-year-old, known to family and friends as Jez, had been leading children on a Duke of Edinburgh Award gold medal expedition on the Brecon Beacons mountain range when he was hit by lightning on Sunday.

On the Shropshire Star's Facebook page people who knew Mr Prescott described him as a lovely man who will be greatly missed.

Jane Fisher said: "My heart goes out to Jez's family and friends. You most definitely will be truly missed by my son Tom Sumner who thought and talked of you so highly.

"Tom was one of the pupils completing his Duke of Edinburgh Award that sad day but Jez will never be forgotten."

Wendy Whitaker said: "I have never heard a bad word said about him. Loads and loads of love to you all."

Adam Brassington said: "In total shock. Jez was one of the most genuine blokes I have ever met. All my love to the family."

Sally Potts wrote: "So sad. A well respected man."

Two Army and Royal Marine cadet instructors battled for 45 minutes to try to save his life but the father-of-two died on the Corn Du peak of Pen y Fan.

Mr Prescott was one of two victims who died after two separate strikes.

He had worked for Telford & Wrekin Council for 14 years and was carrying out his part-time youth work for the council when he was killed in a sudden storm at a checkpoint on the group's route.

Tributes have been flooding in for Mr Prescott from friends, family and colleagues.

Mr Prescott leaves behind a wife, Samantha, and two sons, Luke and Josh.

In a statement his family paid an emotional tribute to a "beloved husband and father."

They revealed how only minutes before the incident he had spoken of his happiness at being on the Brecon Beacons in Powys.

A statement released on behalf of Telford & Wrekin Council described him as a "dedicated individual" who had willingly given his free time for young people.

The statement added the council is considering appropriate ways it can pay tribute to him, his work and the part he has played in supporting young people in the region.

One of Mr Prescott's neighbours said: "He was always very busy out and about – I know he did a lot with children. This is a terrible shock and an awful tragedy. He was a man who gave a lot."

Police said they were not naming the second man who lost his life until he was formally identified by relatives.

Two other hikers were also injured in the freak lightning storm when it hit on Sunday.

One of those has been released from hospital but the other is still being treated at the specialist burns unit at Morriston Hospital in Swansea. Police have confirmed all four who were hit had travelled to the Beacons across the Welsh border from different parts of England.

The coroner will investigate the deaths.

Claims that one of those who died had been using a selfie stick were dismissed by a mountain rescue team.

"Our thoughts are with Jez's family, friends and colleagues at this very sad and difficult time.

"Jez was a part-time youth and community worker in our youth innovation team and had worked with the council since 2001 when he joined as a youth volunteer worker.

"He was a very dedicated individual who gave his time to help young people in the borough achieve their full potential and was a trained Duke of Edinburgh's Award support worker.

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

Mark Jones, deputy leader of the Brecon Mountain Rescue Team, said: "There is no evidence whatsoever that there was a selfie stick at the scene. I have never seen one being used on the mountain. We certainly didn't see one up there."

Dyfed-Powys police also said it had no evidence that a selfie stick was involved.

A spokesman for the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme said: "We were shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Jeremy Prescott on the Brecon Beacons last weekend in such tragic circumstances. Our thoughts are with Jeremy's family at this very sad time."

Mr Prescott, who is also believed to have been a former Telford special constable, was one of two men who died on Sunday, while two others had to be taken to hospital after storms battered the peaks of the Pen y Fan mountain range.

Police said they were not naming the second man until he was formally identified by relatives. The Welsh Ambulance Service said three people had been hit by lightning while walking together.

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

Police have confirmed all who were hit had travelled to the Beacons across the Welsh border from different parts of England.

Sian George, a spokeswoman for Dyfed-Powys Police said: "Following the incidents involving casualties on the Brecon Beacons on July 5, where two men sadly died, we can now confirm that one of the men was Jeremy Prescott, 51 years old, from Telford.

"HM Coroner has been informed.

"We are not in a position to release the identity of the other man at this time."

Emergency services, including mountain rescue teams, were called to the mountain range at 12.05am on Sunday after a sudden electrical storm struck the mountain tops.

Mr Prescott and the other man killed by the lightning strike were airlifted from the 2,600ft (800m) Cribyn peak in the Beacons.

Pen y Fan is the highest peak of the Welsh mountain range and is regularly used in gruelling SAS selection exercises.