ONE of Britain's most promising young cave divers has died in an accident.

Hampshire man Colin Pryer, 29, failed to return to the surface after attempting to dive a series of caves in the Yorkshire Dales.

Colin, who grew up in Chandler's Ford, had quickly risen to the top in the caving world - having a cave he discovered named after him and being invited to take part in a expedition in Spain with the UK's top two cave divers.

Cave rescue volunteers, firefighters, paramedics and police searched for him for six hours before he was found drowned in Low Birkwith Cave, near to Horton-in-Ribblesdale.

Rescuers had to work into the early hours to excavate a shaft at the top of the cave to make an exit.

Only two people had ever dived the remote cave before him.

One of the rescuers, Steve Finch, described cave diving as a highly dangerous activity, which demanded great skill. He added that the area was popular for cave diving but this was the first fatality for many years.

Mr Finch said they did not know what had caused the diver to get into trouble.

He added: "All we can say is that he was extremely competent and very well-equipped, and we believe that a series of small incidents have led to an unfortunate accident."

Colin's distraught family has been inundated with cards and letters from friends across the caving world at their home in Hursley Road, Chandler's Ford.

Parents Margaret and Richard, sister Helen and brother Ian are expecting visitors from as far afield as Canada for his funeral on Thursday.

Mrs Pryer said of her son, a civil servant who moved to Newcastle six-and-a-half year ago: "He was a great lad and lived life to the full.

"Colin lived for caving. He would go to work just to earn enough money to cave."

Mrs Pryer said her son was very safety conscious and would not have taken any short cuts.

She added: "We were very proud of him and now we've read all these tributes, we're even more proud."

Mr Pryer added: "He was an inspiration to other people.

"He packed more into his 29 years than most people do in a lifetime."

Colin's partner Gemma Jones, a doctor, raised the alarm after he failed to surface on what was thought to be his 90th cave dive.

Last year, Colin had a cave named after him, which he discovered - Seagull Pot in North Yorkshire, named to reflect his love of Brighton and Hove Football Club.

Colin became involved in caving through the Scouts in Chandler's Ford, aged just 11.

He was educated at Chandler's Ford Infant School, Merdon Junior School, Toynbee School and Barton Peveril College, before attending the University of Glamorgan and

becoming a qualified chartered surveyor.

A celebration of his life is due to be held at St Boniface Church in Chandler's Ford on Thursday at 3pm.

People are welcome at the Ritchie Memorial Hall in Hursley Road from 11am.

Colin's ashes will be scattered in the Mendip Hills in Somerset and the Yorkshire Dales as he wished.

An inquest into the death, last Monday, has been opened and adjourned in North Yorkshire.