TRIBUTES have been paid to a dedicated Dorset youth worker who died while leading youngsters on a mountain hike.

Experienced mountaineer Terry Vine, from Bere Regis, collapsed near the top of Corn Du, the second biggest mountain in Wales, on Saturday afternoon. He was leading a team of young people from Dorset at the time.

His passion for working with young people led to his involvement with the Dorset Youth Association, the Dorset Royal British Legion’s youth section, the Dorset Army Cadet Force, and Bere Regis youth club Lenny’s.

Mr Vine, 63, loved the outdoors and ran his own company Active Action and Adventure, specialising in outdoor pursuits.

Staff at Dorset Youth Association in Dorchester said he was well-respected.

Director David Thompson said: “He was involved with a wide range of youth activities across Dorset and he will be very sadly missed. Our thoughts are with his family.

“He was a very well respected member of our staff.”

Together with wife Maureen, Mr Vine ran Lenny’s, which met at Bere Regis Sports Club.

He wrote regular reports about the club for the Dorset Echo’s community news pages, compiled for Bere Regis by Diana Holman.

Mrs Holman said: “He was a super chap. He ran Lenny’s so selflessly over the years and did so much for young people.”

Although not an ex-serviceman, Mr Vine joined the Bere Regis branch of the Royal British Legion in the 1980s.

He progressed to the Dorset RBL in the mid-1990s, working as a county youth officer and sitting on the county committee.

County secretary Beverley Harrison said: “He advised the county on everything to do with the youth work we are doing.

“He was a good man and he will be missed.”

He reached the rank of Major in the cadet force and was the commander of C-Company based in Poole before retiring.

A spokesman for Dyfed-Powys Police said there would not be an inquest because the death was a resuslt of natural causes.