It was revealed that a 32-year-old Oxford man who died after a fall on Tryfan in north Wales passed away in the arms of his wife.

Jennifer Parratt said her husband Christopher died doing something he loved. She has asked for any donations in his memory to be made to the Ogwen Valley Mountain Rescue Organisation, whose team recovered his body after the accident.

North Wales Police said an investigation into the accident was taking place. Mr Parratt fell while descending on the eastern side of Tryfan, at 915m, one of the Welsh 3,000-footers. It is believed the couple became disoriented in poor visibility and Mr Parratt slipped and fell.

Tryfan is distinctive in its rocky terrain which starts right from road level in the Ogwen Valley and has many routes involving scrambling. Heather Terrace, on its eastern flank, is considered one of the least demanding routes up the mountain.

Ogwen Valley mountain rescue team (MRT) was in the area on a training exercise when it was alerted to the accident shortly after 6pm on Saturday. Team members were airlifted by RAF helicopter up the mountain in difficult conditions, with cloud cover to well below the summit. It proved difficult to locate Mrs Parratt and her husband, but eventually the team found them.

His body was lowered by the team to Cwm Tryfan after his wife was walked off the mountain and their dog caught and carried off the mountainside. The MRT says Mr Parratt died of suspected head injuries after a fall of about 6 to 9m.

Mrs Parratt released as statement saying: “He will be deeply missed by his wife, dog, family and friends for his love, his kindness, his enthusiasm and his intense zest for life.”