Snowdonia warden John Ellis Roberts died of 'heart event'
A former head warden of Snowdonia National Park had a "catastrophic heart event" while climbing, an inquest has heard.
John Ellis Roberts MBE, 70, from Betws y Coed, fell 25ft on to a ledge at Dinas Cromlech near Llanberis in July. Mountain rescue and an RAF Sea King helicopter were deployed before taking him to hospital in Bangor. Attempts were made to resuscitate Mr Roberts during the flight but he was pronounced dead at the hospital. The inquest in Caernarfon was told he would already have been unconscious when he fell, and the injuries he suffered would not have caused his death. A pathologist said Mr Roberts had a heart abnormality which led to an acute shortage of oxygen to the heart, resulting in the fatal heart attack. Deputy coroner Nicola Jones, who described Mr Roberts as a remarkable man, recorded that he died from natural causes. His sister, Sian Roberts, said: "John loved his mountains and his mountains took him home."