Tour leaders cleared in Briton's death

The tour leaders of an expedition in which a British student was mauled to death by a polar bear have been cleared of blame by a criminal inquiry.

Horatio Chapple, 17, died last summer on Svalbard, an Arctic island administered by Norway, when a 40-stone polar bear attacked him in his tent.

The Norwegian authorities said the British Schools Expedition Society (BSES) tour leaders had taken precautions but "a number of unfortunate circumstances" intervened. Horatio's parents have lodged an appeal against the decision by the Governor of Svalbard.