AN adventurous teenager died on a school expedition to the Italian Alps when he went on a "frolic of his own", an inquest heard yesterday.

Alex Foulkes, 17, from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, was thought to have been looking for a short cut when he and a friend strayed from a well-marked path in foothills.

But he slipped on loose scree on the steep bank of a cold and fast-flowing river and was swept away.

The body of the Harrogate Grammar School pupil was found two days later by an Italian mountain rescue team. A post-mortem examination found he had drowned.

Coroner Geoff Fell yesterday recorded a verdict of accidental death. Saying that Alex had gone on a "frolic of his own", he cleared the school of any blame for the tragedy, saying the expedition had been "well organised, well equipped and well led".

Alex was among a dozen pupils who were taking part in a two-week mountain-walking expedition in the Val d'Aosta, in July 2003.

They had all trained for the trip, taking part in four adventure weekends, and some had competed in the Leeds half-marathon.

The expedition organiser, teacher Julian Leader, was a qualified mountain leader who had led similar trips for the school and for the Army. PE teacher Angela Bryson also accompanied them.

In Italy, they were met by their highly-qualified guide, James Thompson, who had previously reconnoitred all the walks that were on the expedition's itinerary.

But tragedy struck on the first day, after the group had walked up a peak and were returning towards the refuge where they would be staying that night. Two kilometres from the hut, they were allowed to continue forward at their own pace, but were told to stick to the path.

However, Alex and a friend, Nick Hawker, attempted to find a short cut, missing out a bridge over the river that ran parallel to the path.

Nick, now a university student, said he saw Alex climb down a steep bank of scree to the river, apparently looking for a crossing place.

The teenager appeared to reject the idea as too dangerous and started walking alongside the river. He was briefly out of view, then Nick saw him in the river. It was the last time he was seen alive.

Alex's parents, Michael and Manchula, and his younger brother, Gregory, declined to comment after the hearing.

Headteacher Dr Phillip Limbert said the school had not got over the tragedy and "it probably never will".