Pair found dead on mountain had 'hearts of gold'

Two friends found dead on Wales's highest mountain have been described as having "charisma" and "hearts of gold" by former tutors.

The bodies of Eddie Hill, 20, and Jayden Long, 19, both from Dereham, Norfolk, were found by a mountain rescue team on Yr Wyddfa, also known as Snowdon, on Thursday, a day after concerns about their welfare were raised.

Staff at Dereham Sixth Form College, which the pair left in 2024, described their shock at the news.

Kirsty Brook, head of year 13 at the college, said: "The world really was their oyster. Anything they wanted, they could have gone on to achieve because they had the personality to do so – they had that get up and go."

Mountain rescuers and crews from HM Coastguard were called in to search for the pair on the 1,085m (3,560ft) mountain.

Jurgen Dissmann, chairman of Llanberis Mountain Rescue Team, said volunteers searched throughout the night across challenging mountain terrain in "full winter conditions"

Documents show that the pair died on Crib y Ddysgl, a ridge that peaks at 1,065m (3,494ft), less than a mile north of Yr Wyddfa's summit and linking it to the notoriously narrow ridge of Crib Goch.

Inquests into the pair's deaths will open on Friday.

The pair are remembered fondly by former tutors, including Bethany Thomas, who teaches psychology and sociology.

"I think if you asked any teacher here, both of them had such character and charisma, very cheeky but just ultimately, hearts of gold," she said.

"You noticed a classroom they weren't in because they definitely brought the energy to the room."

She said they were "friendly and welcoming" and that no-one had a bad word to say about them.

"You can't help but think how young they were, how much potential they had... the mood in the staff room this morning really showed the impact they had on us in those two years here.

"Clearly they were two young guys getting out there, exploring the world – it's just so tragic."

Brook said Eddie had worked at Slater Menswear and that Jayden wanted to pursue an apprenticeship.

She said she was so shocked seeing the news on social media that she "didn't think it was real".

"We are absolutely devastated. It's so sad," she said.

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