A SNOWBOARDER from the Isle of Wight told how he tried to resuscitate his friend who fell to his death 300ft down a mountain crevasse.

James Munt, 24, from Calbourne had been boarding off piste in Chamonix, France, with Daniel Ramage from Nettlecombe in Dorset when the accident happened on April 16.

He told Dorchester Coroners' Court how they realised they had gone slightly off their normal track halfway down the mountain.

"Dan got up and started traversing and, literally a few seconds after that, his board hit a little tree sticking up and he tumbled," said Mr Munt

"He tumbled four or five times and just disappeared over the edge."

Mr Munt used his mobile phone to ask his friends to contact Mountain Rescue, while he walked around the crevasse and down to help his friend.

He said he could not feel a pulse and began mouth-to-mouth resuscitation while Mr Ramage lay on the mountainside.

The inquest heard that Mr Ramage was dead on arrival at Mont Blanc Hospital, in Chamonix, and there was no alcohol in his blood or urine.

Coroner Michael Johnston recorded a verdict of accidental death following a fall whilst snowboarding.