³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ

Two boys spoke about how they tried to persuade a fellow scout not to follow a dangerous mountain path before he fell to his death, an inquest has heard.

Ben Leonard, 16, fell 200ft (61m) from the Great Orme in Llandudno on an Explorer Scouts trip in August 2018.

Scout leader Brian Garraway told the inquest on Tuesday that he heard two scouts discussing his final moments.

He said one boy tried to stop Ben following the path before he fell to his death.

Mr Garraway was a scout leader for a separate group based at the same headquarters in Stockport, Greater Manchester.

He was not on the trip but he was a training advisor and responsible for helping leaders get their first aid training and other qualifications.

He said there was a meeting at the Reddish Scout Group hut for anyone who wanted to share their feelings following Ben's death.

He said he overheard one scout who'd been with Ben saying: "If only he hadn't been so stubborn and come away when I told him to stop."

He said the boy added: "When we saw him near the edge we shouted 'it's not safe, come away from the edge, that's not a path'."

The jury was told Ben replied: "I believe we can get down here."

When asked why he had not mentioned this to anyone before now, Mr Garraway declined to say if he had discussed it with his lawyers but confirmed he had not described this exchange in such detail before.

The inquest continues.