A 29-year-old man who lived to ski has died in a French avalanche.

Mark Wilson was skiing off-piste in the Alps resort of Val d'Isere with two other men when they were swept away.

Mr Wilson, who was employ-ed by London-based tour operator VIP, was buried under several feet of snow.

A spokesman for the British Consulate in Lyon says: "He was skiing off piste with two other men who were employed by the company. The two others escaped but Mr Wilson was buried."

The mountain rescue service was called out and his body was found about an hour later, at 2pm on Tuesday.

Mark's father Martin has told how his son caught the travel bug when as an 18-year-old at Salts Grammar School, Salt-aire, he won a place on a Yorkshire Schools Exploration Society trip to China.

Mark, who lived in Keighley as a child and had just finished a degree in tourism and travel at Leeds Metropolitan Univer-sity, had been in France since December.

"He was having a whale of a time," says his father. "He loved travel and had been round the world. He had spent time in China, America and for two years worked in Cyprus bunji jumping. He had literally been away every year skiing - it was his life."

Mark worked as a legal executive for three years on leaving school but over the last eight or nine years had worked for a number of skiing companies. It was his first time with VIP.

Mr Wilson says the family, which includes his brothers Philip and Gary and mum Maureen, have been making arrangements to have Mark's body returned home to Baildon for the funeral.

The consulate spokesman says a report is being prepared for the public prosecutor who will decide whether there should be an investigation.

He adds that the company is insured.

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