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Man killed in Brecon Beacons lightning strikes named Man killed in Brecon Beacons lightning strikes named
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Police have named one of the men killed by mountaintop lightning strikes in Wales. A highly respected youth worker who was helping young people take part in a tough mountain expedition was one of two men killed by lightning strikes on the Brecon Beacons in south Wales.
Dyfed-Powys police said Jeremy Prescott, 51, of Telford in Shropshire was one of two people who died after two separate strikes on the Brecon Beacons on Sunday. Jeremy ‘Jez’ Prescott, 51, from Shropshire, was manning a checkpoint for teenagers walking in the hills as part of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award scheme when he was caught in the storm on Sunday.
Prescott was taking part in an activity for the Duke of Edinburgh awards scheme. A family spokesman said: “We are obviously devastated to lose Jez, who was both a beloved husband and father, in such sudden and shocking circumstances.
A spokesman for the Duke of Edinburgh awards said: “We were shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Jeremy Prescott on the Brecon Beacons last weekend in such tragic circumstances. “He was doing something he loved in a place he loved and had said only 10 minutes before the incident happened that he was glad he was up on the mountain and that it was a lovely day.”
“Our thoughts are with Jeremy’s family at this very sad time.” A spokesman for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award said: “We were shocked and saddened to hear of the death of Jeremy Prescott on the Brecon Beacons in such tragic circumstances. Our thoughts are with Jeremy’s family at this very sad time.”
The coroner has been informed. Prescott was a part-time youth worker for Telford & Wrekin Council where colleagues paid tribute to a “dedicated individual” who gave his time helping young people.
Prescott was one of two men who died, while two others had to be taken to hospital after storms battered the peaks. He leaves a wife, two sons and a granddaughter. One of his sons served with the Royal Marines in Afghanistan.
He was a part-time youth worker for Telford and Wrekin council where colleagues paid tribute to him as a “dedicated individual” who gave his time for young people. A council spokesman said: “It is with great sadness that the council can confirm the tragic death of our colleague Jez Prescott on Sunday. Our thoughts are with Jez’s family, friends and colleagues at this very sad and difficult time.
A council spokesman said: “It is with great sadness that the council can confirm the tragic death of our colleague Jez Prescott on Sunday. “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.
“Our thoughts are with Jez’s family, friends and colleagues at this very sad and difficult time.” Related: Lightning strikes leave two dead in Brecon Beacons
The spokesman added: “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 award support worker.
“It was in this role that Jez was a team leader for a D of E expedition on the Brecon Beacons when he was fatally struck by lightning in a sudden storm at a checkpoint on the group’s route.“It was in this role that Jez was a team leader for a D of E expedition on the Brecon Beacons when he was fatally struck by lightning in a sudden storm at a checkpoint on the group’s route.
“The council is considering appropriate ways it can pay tribute to Jez, his work and the part he has played in supporting young people in our borough.”“The council is considering appropriate ways it can pay tribute to Jez, his work and the part he has played in supporting young people in our borough.”
Prescott was part of the council’s youth innovation team, having worked for the local authority since 2001 when he joined as a youth volunteer worker. Neighbour Roger Thomas 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.”
Prescott was one of two men who died, while two others had to be taken to hospital after storms battered the peaks. 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.
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 said it had no evidence that a selfie stick was involved.
The second man who died has not yet been named. Two other people were injured in strikes. One has been released from hospital; the other is still being treated at the specialist burns unit at Morriston Hospital in Swansea.