Lucky escape for hiker caught up in Kyrgyzstan avalanche

Harry Shimmin said the experience left him feeling a "combination of emotions"

A hiker who had a terrifying encounter with an avalanche in Kyrgyzstan has told how he feels lucky to have dodged certain death.

Harry Shimmin described how his initial excitement at witnessing the awesome spectacle soon turned to fear as he realised the danger he was in.

The 27-year-old from Regaby said it developed "so much faster" and "spread so much further" than he had expected.

It happened on day seven of a guided trek of the Tian Shan mountains.

Mr Shimmin, who was with ten others, including two friends, had separated from the group and reached the summit of one particular peak alone.

He said: "As I'm taking pictures I hear the sounds of ice cracking behind me."

Realising it was an avalanche, he said he was excited at first to capture it on camera and thought he was in a safe place and far enough away.

But the mood quickly changed as the avalanche began to move closer.

He said: "I jumped into a hole to take cover. The snow starting pouring overhead and it got dark and it got hard to breathe.

"Fortunately it only lasted a few seconds. I was only covered in an inch or two of white powder and slush."

Harry Shimmin, Sarah Allen and Katie Christian are friends from the north of the island

Eventually managing to rejoin the group, Mr Shimmin said he was relieved to discover everyone had survived.

But it was not until the group moved on that they realised "just how lucky" they had been.

"The path we were supposed to take was directly in the way of the main body of the avalanche," he said.

Friend Katie Christian said it was a very "sobering moment" when they saw the destruction ahead.

She continued: "That was where the main ice fall was and there was absolutely no cover there.

"It destroyed the footpath and destroyed the bridge. We were really lucky."

Mr Shimmin said "everyone was very emotional" and "very happy to be alive".