A Surbiton and Kingston Mountaineering Club member battled in vain to save a fellow climber from New Malden who plunged 300ft in the Lake District, an inquest heard.

Seventy-year-old Reginald Vernon, an experienced climber, fell after losing his footing while walking up Great Gable with the club on February 5.

An inquest held in Workington, Cumbria, on Tuesday last week heard that Mr Vernon, who lived with his wife in Coombe Road, survived the fall but could not be resuscitated and died in the arms of his friend and fellow-climber, Charles Leek.

In a statement Mr Leek, of Balham High Road, said Mr Vernon, who was known as Reg, was one of the most experienced mountaineers in the club and that he had been well-equipped and was using an ice axe as a walking stick.

He said: "Under foot it was slushy and slippery with a light coating of snow. The path we were walking on followed a contour round a hill above scree. Reg was at the back.

"As I was walking I heard a yell from behind. I turned round and saw Reg falling feet first. His foot then caught on something and I think he got catapulted forward, then ended up on the scree and was rolling downhill."

Mr Leek further stated on reaching Mr Vernon: "He was breathing and semiconscious. He mentioned my name and said I need to lie down'. I put a bandage round his head to slow down the bleeding. His breath started to get shallow quite quickly and when I checked for a pulse his neck, I couldn't find one."

Wasdale Mountain Rescue team, including two accident and emergency consultants, responded quickly but could not revive Mr Vernon who was pronounced dead at the scene.

A post-mortem examination revealed he died from multiple injuries.

In a statement read out at the hearing Mr Vernon's wife of 10 years, Jane, said her husband was "very fit" and took plenty of exercise, regularly enjoying climbs in the Lake District and Wales.

Mr Vernon, who had 11 grandchildren, had climbed Mont Blanc and many mountains in the Himalayas in the past.

In May 2003 he spent two weeks climbing 57 peaks in the Lake District including the Great Gable to raise money for his grandchildren's school, Coombe Hill Infants.

West Cumbria coroner John Taylor recorded a verdict of misadventure.