Friend Watches as Climbers Fall to Their Deaths

The pair had been on a week's climbing holiday with their friend Philip Walker, who watched helplessly as his friends fell past him on the sheer drop they were descending. Mr Walker had decided to free climb and had been the first to descend uneventfully, placing a pin into a rocky crag that other climbers had apparently used before him. When the others followed the same route the rock crumbled and the pair fell, roped together.

Mr Freeman, who was an experienced climber and well aware of the dangers involved, had previously written a letter addressed to his two daughters in the event of having him an accident. It urged them to pursue their own adventures and to not be discouraged by his fate. He was determined that they should have every opportunity to do their own thing and the letter has been a great comfort to the family in coming to terms with the accident.

For more details see The Times.