Eyewitnesses describe moment Telford man Jeremy Prescott was struck by lightning

Jeremy Prescott, 51, from Little Dawley, Telford, was killed on Corn Du mountain on July 5.

Eyewitnesses said the force of the strike was such that it threw the 51-year-old into the air.

Moments later Surrey-based Robert Meakings, 59, from Surrey, was also struck by lightning as he prepared to descend the 2,580ft high peak Cribyn.

Their inquests at Brecon Coroner's Court heard that weather conditions that day had started out fine but had taken a sudden turn for the worse.

Coroner Andrew Barkley was told the deaths occurred on July 5 this year – and could not have been predicted as the weather changed for the worse without warning.

Mr Prescott's colleague Gaynor Hogarth said they were on their way up the 873-metre high mountain ready to meet a group of youngsters on a Duke of Edinburgh's Award activity.

"He was taking the last step up to the top when the lightning struck," said Mrs Hogarth.

"I saw a bright flash like someone had turned on a fluorescent light behind Jez. There was no rumble of thunder beforehand – moments before or on the way up. If I had seen any lightning before we had left there would be no way we would have gone up there."

She added: "At first I didn't think the lightning had struck Jez . . . and when he started to fall forward I thought he was joking. But he just dropped to the ground – he didn't even put his arms out."

She was joined by three marine cadets who had been on a training exercise, with the four carrying out CPR for an hour before a rescue helicopter was able to land.

The first emergency crews at both scenes were Brecon Mountain Rescue Team, which had been in the area on a training exercise.

Incident manager Dave Coombs said his team could not have arrived at the scene any quicker and the inquest heard everything possible had been done to save them.

Mr Barkley, coroner for Powys, said there was nothing to indicate the walking trips were ill-advised and the deaths were the result of "exceptional weather conditions which could not have been predicted or controlled".

He said deaths from lightning strikes are rare but to have two fatalities in such close proximity on the same day was "remarkable".

Noel Dale, a meteorological observer for British Weather Services said in Britain every year there are about 50 to 100 reported lightning strikes, but up to 10 of them will be fatal. He advised walkers, agricultural workers and anyone else spending time outdoors, to get to know thunderstorms and what they look like.

At the inquest, Mr Barkley said Mr Dale advised people to watch weather forecasts before they go out in thunderstorms.

He also advised people to get to know how thunderclouds change, to try and observe which way they may be moving – towards you or away from you, and to take notice of things like warmth just before a thunderstorm.

In the event of a thunderstorm, Mr Dale advised people to try and make themselves as small as possible, by crouching with their head tucked under their knees and their feet placed together. He said people should try and get to lower ground and not make themselves the tallest object in the area. He said getting rid of lightning magnets such as metal objects, such as umbrellas, golf clubs and even jewellery.

Dr Jason Shannon, consultant pathologist for Prince Charles Hospital and Royal Glamorgan Hospitals, said that in both Mr Meakings and Mr Prescott's cases, the lightning strikes probably stopped both of their hearts immediately.

But he said thunder storms can of course lead to deaths or accidents in many other ways, such as trees and power lines falling down.

Fatal lightning storm day was ‘exceptional’

Weather conditions on the Brecon Beacons when the two men were struck by lightning and died were "exceptional", a coroner has said.

Mr Andrew Barkley, coroner for Powys, said it was "remarkable" that Jeremy Prescott and Robin Meakings had both been hit in the area on July 5.

Walkers and people working outdoors have been advised to learn more about thunderstorms and watch weather forecasts before heading outside in the wake of the two deaths.

Mr Barkley, presiding over the two men's inquest in Brecon, said there was nothing to indicate the walking trips were ill-advised and the deaths were the result of "exceptional weather conditions which could not have been predicted or controlled".

He said deaths from lightning strikes are rare but to have two fatalities in such close proximity on the same day was "remarkable".

Noel Dale, a meteorological observer for British Weather Services said in Britain every year there are about 50 to 100 reported lightning strikes, but up to 10 of them will be fatal.

He advised walkers, agricultural workers and anyone else spending time outdoors, to get to know thunderstorms and what they look like.

At the inquest, Mr Barkley said Mr Dale advised people to watch weather forecasts before they go out in thunderstorms.

He also advised people to get to know how thunderclouds change, to try to observe which way they may be moving – towards you or away from you, and to take notice of things like warmth just before a thunderstorm.

In the event of a thunderstorm, Mr Dale said, he advised people to try to make themselves as small as possible, by crouching with their head tucked into their knees and their feet placed together.

He said people should try to get to lower ground in the event of a thunderstorm and not be the tallest object in the vicinity.

He advised getting rid of lightning magnets such as metal objects, umbrellas, golf clubs and even jewellery.

Dr Jason Shannon, consultant pathologist for Prince Charles Hospital and Royal Glamorgan Hospitals, said that in both Mr Meakings and Mr Prescott's cases, the lightning strikes probably stopped both of their hearts immediately.

But he said thunder and lightning storms can of course lead to deaths or accidents in many other ways, such as trees and power lines falling down.