Inquest to begin into death of soldier in eight-mile march

An inquest is due to begin into the death of a soldier who collapsed near the end of an eight-mile march at an Army training centre.

Corporal Joshua Hoole, of Ecclefechan, Dumfries and Galloway, was pronounced dead by an air ambulance doctor after being taken ill at the Dering Lines Infantry Battle School in Brecon, Powys, in July 2016.

The 26-year-old, a member of 1st Battalion, The Rifles had been carrying 25kg (55lb) of equipment when he collapsed 400 metres from the end of the march.

A 2017 Defence Safety Authority report concluded the "fit, capable and determined'' soldier died as a result of an undiagnosed underlying medical condition, "within the definition of sudden arrhythmogenic death syndrome''.

The death of Cpl Hoole, who joined the Army in 2008 and had served in Iraq and Afghanistan, occurred three years after three Army reservists suffered fatal heat illness during an SAS selection march in the Brecon Beacons.

The inquest is being heard by Birmingham senior coroner Louise Hunt, and is expected to last for up to four weeks.

Hear all the latest news from across Tayside, Perthshire and Angus on the hour, every hour, at Tay FM. Listen on FM, via our Radio Tay app, on your DAB radio, online at TAYFM.co.uk, or say ‘Play TAY FM’ on your Smart Speaker.