THE funeral takes place today of a Hampshire schoolboy who died in Austria while skiing with his family.

Cameron Bespolka, 16, died on December 17 after he, his father and a ski guide were engulfed in an avalanche in the resort of Lech am Arlberg.

It swept Cameron, his father Kevin, 51, and the guide 150 metres down the mountain, leaving Cameron’s triplet brother Nicholas watching from the top, who had been skiing a short distance behind. The three were thought to have been skiing off-piste.

Cameron’s mother, Corinne Bespolka, 53, the boys’ triplet sister Megan, and 12-year-old sister Sienna, are believed to have been at their hotel when the accident happened.

Tributes flooded in from Cameron’s school Winchester College soon after the incident was reported.

In a statement, the headmaster of Winchester College Ralph Townsend described Cameron as “popular with staff and pupils alike”.

“Patient and caring, he put people immediately at their ease. He also had an impish and dry sense of humour," said Dr Townsend.

Cameron, had interests including bird watching, tennis and cross-country running.

The service is due to take place at Winchester Cathedral at 2.30pm.