Snowdonia walker Kenneth Hands 'fell like a rag doll'

Crib Goch is a narrow ridge

An inexperienced mountain walker died in a fall after abandoning a bid to reach the summit of Snowdon via an arduous route, an inquest has heard.

Kenneth Hands, 35, of Oldbury, near Birmingham, died in April while descending the Crib Goch ridge.

A veteran rescuer has told an inquest in Caernarfon it is probably the most arduous ridge hike in England and Wales.

One of Mr Hands' friends said he saw him "fall like a rag doll".

He and three companions had aborted an attempt to scale the 3,560ft (1,085m) summit via the ridge on 9 April, the inquest heard on Friday.

It had started to snow, as forecast, and the tragedy happened during their descent.

A friend of Mr Hands told the inquest he thought he heard a bag dropping, but when he turned around he saw Mr Hands falling "like a rag doll" from the very rocky terrain.

He suffered a major head injury and deputy coroner Nicola Jones said he would have been unconscious shortly after the plunge began.

John Grisdale, of Llanberis mountain rescue team, said "some experience" was needed to tackle Crib Goch at any time.

A conclusion of accidental death was recorded.