Tributes have been paid to two “talented” and “experienced” climbers who fell to their deaths.

Dad-of-two Vaughan Holme, 48, from Horsham, died along with 23-year-old University of Sussex student Jack Hutton-Potts in Holyhead, Anglesey, at the weekend.

The pair had known each other from private school Christ’s Hospital, near Horsham, where Mr Holme was a house master and Mr Hutton-Potts a former pupil.

Both were friends with fellow school climbers James Atkinson and Rob Gauntlett, who died on an expedition in the Alps in 2009.

Mr Hutton-Potts graduated from the Horsham school in 2008 and moved to Brighton where he was a student at the University of Sussex.

A talented climber, he also worked at the Boulder Brighton Climbing Centre on the Victoria Road Trading Estate.

Only last year the university handed the student a bursary for his excellence in climbing.

A spokeswoman said: “We were shocked and saddened to hear of Jack’s death following a climbing accident at the weekend.

“As well being passionate about climbing, Jack was a very talented student. Our thoughts are with his family.”

Mr Hutton-Potts, whose family live in Petersfield in Hampshire, did a number of fundraising challenges along with friend Tim Gauntlett, Rob’s brother.

'Sorely missed'

The pair were set to become the youngest ever to climb the 300ft El Capitan rock formation in America in 2009, but had to pull out when their school friends died.

His family are yet to make a statement but yesterday his father, David, changed his Facebook cover photo to an image of his son.

James Gomez, from Boulder Brighton Climbing Centre, said his friend would be “sorely missed”.

He said: “Jack was an extremely talented and experienced climber, and his passion and enthusiasm for the sport was boundless.

“Although we only knew him for a short time, he was a key part of the team and will be sorely missed by everyone who worked with him.”

Mr Vaughan Holme, who is originally from Nottingham, worked as a house master at Christ’s Hospital, and lived in Horsham.

The father-of-two led climbing expeditions at the school where his wife also works.

John Franklin, the headteacher, said: “Christ’s Hospital is a very close-knit community and the tragic loss of a popular teacher and a young Old Blue who were both experienced climbers, has shocked and saddened staff, pupils and the Old Blue community.

“A chapel service has been held for the school and we are doing all thatwecan to support those affected by their deaths.”

He added: “Our thoughts and prayers are with their families and in particular, Mr Holme’s wife and his two children in this difficult time.”

The pair were climbing the South Stack formation on Saturday when they went missing.

A search and rescue operation eventually found them in the morning, tied together in the sea.

North West Wales coroner Dewi Pritchard-Jones carried out the post-mortem yesterday and opened and adjourned the inquest.