The families of the four young mountaineers killed in an avalanche in the Scottish Highlands last night told of their grief at the loss of the friends who "did everything together" and perished "doing what they most enjoyed".
Mr Ian Edwards (30), Ms Emma Ray (29), Mr Matthew Lewis and Mr Paul Hopkins (both 28), died after being caught in a supposedly safe area of Aonoch Mor, near Fort William, just an hour into a two-day "winter skills" training course.
The four - all experienced hill-walkers - embarked on the climb while staying with nine other members of the 24-strong Dartford District Scout Fellowship to celebrate Hogmanay.
Two of their close friends, Mr Steven Newton (24) and Ms Sarah Finch (25), together with a local guide in his 40s, survived after being buried alive for 16 hours.
Last night they remained in hospital suffering from hypothermia.
In Dartford, Kent, 530 miles south of the tragedy, the victims' families yesterday recalled a close-knit group, who had grown up together and developed their friendship through the camaraderie of scouts and venture scouts.
"They always did everything together from school upwards," said Mrs Daphne Lewis, the mother of Matthew. Mrs Bobbie Hopkins, the mother of Paul, said he and Ms Ray had been childhood sweethearts. "They had been together since they were 15. They grew up together before they went out properly and had been living together for seven or eight years."
Mr John Ray, a local taxi driver, said: "Emma and Paul were both experienced in hiking and climbing. Emma had done the three peaks - Snowdon, Scattersloe and Ben Nevis - in a weekend and the rest of the group were also experienced."
"He was a veritable action man really," said Mr Bill Lewis of his son, Matthew. "He was very keen to get the experience offered by this trip and was obviously very excited." The families were insistent there should be no recriminations towards the guide, Mr Roger Wild.
Mr Ray said: "From what we have heard, the guide was very experienced and highly thought of by the police and mountain rescue people. They were actually in a safe area when this occurred. It was just one of those tragic things that happened."
Mrs Lewis said their thoughts were with the survivors, Ms Finch, and her boyfriend of eight years, Mr Newton. "They must have been through a dreadful trauma having been buried alive for 16 hours," she said.
"They have to live with that for the rest of their lives and the fact their friends died. They must be in a terrible state mentally. They may never get over this."