British skier found dead in snow after night out

A British skier has been found dead in Andorra after apparently separating from friends and getting lost in freezing temperatures after a night out.

Paul Rea, 24, from Milnthorpe in Cumbria, was three days into his week long holiday when he went missing on Wednesday night in the Pas de la Casa resort.

His body was eventually discovered on Friday covered in snow in the Envalira tunnel close to the French border.

Pas de la Casa, known as the "Ibiza of the Pyrenees", is notorious among young skiers because of its lively nightlife, myriad of bars, organised pub crawls and cheap alcohol. Mr Rea went missing on one of the harshest and coldest nights of the Andorran winter. Last week, parts of north-eastern Spain were hit by some of the heaviest snow in decades, cutting off many areas and blocking the border.

A police spokesman said the body showed "no signs of violence" and believed it was likely Mr Rea died from hypothermia. He said police felt he became "disorientated", adding: "We believe he wandered off and instead of heading into the centre of the resort, walked in the opposite direction and became lost. His family and the British authorities have been informed."