Heart failure caused gap year student's death

An Australian gap year student died of acute heart failure on a camping trip to Snowdonia, an inquest has ruled.

Francesca Henricus, 19, was found dead in a tent on a farm at Abergynolwyn, Gwynedd, in April.

The teenager was with fellow students and instructors from Llandovery College taking part in the Duke of Edinburgh Award scheme and had climbed the 3,000ft Cader Idris.

A verdict of natural causes was returned at the inquest in Caernarfon.

Coroner Dewi Pritchard-Jones said Ms Henricus was a very fit person but had been off work a few days earlier with flu symptoms and had complained of a cold.

Pathologist Dr Tony Caslin described it as sudden cardiac death.

"Perhaps the exercise of the day before may have contributed to the strain on the heart," he added.

The pathologist said he would write to the teenager's family in Belmont, Victoria.

He said relatives should have a heart test to ensure that they had no unusual characteristics.

In a statement at the time of her death, Llandovery College in Carmarthenshire said Ms Henricus had "impressed everyone with her boundless enthusiasm and humour" since joining in January.

College warden Ian Hunt said: "Francesca was a very popular, confident and outgoing young woman."