UK boy killed by polar bear named

The four injured were being flown to Tromso in Norway (AP)

A 17-year-old boy who was killed by a polar bear in northern Norway was named by the British Schools Exploring Society (BSES) today as Horatio Chapple.

Four other people were injured in the attack, which happened as a party travelling on a BSES expedition were camped on the Von Postbreen glacier near Longyearbyen on Svalbard, north of the Norwegian mainland.

A BSES spokesman said Horatio was a "fine young man" who had planned to read medicine at university.

BSES chairman Edward Watson said: "Having spoken to the family, we are now able to advise that the young explorer who died on our expedition this morning is Horatio Chapple.

"Horatio was a fine young man who wanted to go on to read medicine after school. By all accounts he would have made an excellent doctor.

"We and the Norwegian authorities are currently establishing the full circumstances of his tragic death and will not be releasing this until we have discussed this fully with the family."

Horatio's family from near Salisbury, Wiltshire, said they were too upset to speak.

The party managed to get through to Svalbard Governor's office to call for assistance after the attack early today.

Eventually, the injured were taken by helicopter to hospital in Longyearbyen and then on to University Hospital in Tromso, Norway.

PA