Tributes paid to boy killed in polar bear attack (From Salisbury Journal)

Tributes paid to boy killed in polar bear attack

9:50am Saturday 6th August 2011 in News By Jill Harding

TRIBUTES have been paid to Salisbury student Horatio Chapple who died in a polar bear attack on the Norwegian island of Svalbard.

The 17-year-old who lived with his parents and two younger brothers at Bishopstone, was a pupil at Eton College.

He was on an adventure holiday with the British Schools Exploring Society when the tragedy happened at around 7am yesterday morning.

The polar bear attacked the group while they were in their tents.

Four other people – two team leaders and two students were injured and flown to hospital by helicopter.

It has been reported that a trip wire around the camp to scare off polar bears didn’t work.

Horatio’s father, David, is a top consultant orthopaedic and spinal surgeon at Salisbury District Hospital and New Hall Hospital.

His mother, Olivia is a GP at the Bemerton Heath surgery.

Horatio, who enjoyed playing sport, has been described by friends as ‘adventurous’ and he enjoyed taking part in events raising money for charity.

His mother is a dedicated fundraiser for the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation and Horatio supported her activities.

The student had recently completed his penultimate year at Eton and hoped to study medicine at university.

BSES chairman, Edward Watson, who broke the tragic news to Horatio’s family said: “Horatio was a fine young man.

“By all accounts he would have made an excellent doctor.”