British mountain bike accident in Chamonix : victim named

The 60 year old man who fell to his death whilst mountain biking on the Petit Balcon Nord in the Chamonix valley on Friday has been named as Richard Castle.

Richard, who was a university lecturer and lived alone in Brighton, was on a weekend camping holiday with nine friends who were all members of the Brighton Explorers Club. He had hired a mountain bike on Friday morning which was later found in trees by hikers later that same morning. His body was found around 100m below the trail.

A post mortem is being carried out as the reason for the accident is still a mystery and there are no witnesses. Gendarmes believe the man either fell ill and tumbled or made a mistake on his bike and fell to his death.

Vice-chairman of the Brighton Explorer's Club with whom Mr Castle travelled to Chamonix commented: "It's all a bit of a shock to us. We're not in a position to say anything more. It is too soon."

Source : Daily Mirror