Tributes to climber
Gazette and Herald
www.gazetteandherald.co.uk
HUNDREDS of tributes have flooded into the family home of former RAF flight lieutenant Richard Carter, who died in a climbing accident. Mr Carter, 46, who was on a training course in Snowdonia, fell 150ft from the Nantlle Ridge on November 27.

His widow Liz and three sons David, 22, Matt, 20, and Chris, 18, have been touched by the sheer number of cards they have received since his death. Mr Carter had been on an expedition with Bicton College, Devon, as part of his training to become an outdoor adventure instructor.

After the fall, from a notoriously difficult ridge, he was airlifted to a nearby hospital but died from his injuries. Mrs Carter said: "He was so unassuming, and I think he would have been so surprised that there are so many cards here.

"He didn't know how highly people regarded him, and what people thought of him."

Mr Carter, who lived in Lyneham, had retired as a serviceman in April after 26 years as an RAF navigator. The family had moved around, but had lived in their family home in the village on and off since 1994. A keen climber and kayak enthusiast, he had completed his last posting in the RAF at Boscombe Down near Amesbury, but had also served at RAF Lyneham during his career.

Mrs Carter said: "He loved the outdoors and was training to be an outdoor adventure instructor. He had started in September and his ultimate goal was to work with disadvantaged youths and local schools."

The couple, who had celebrated 25 years of marriage in April, had always taken their family on camping holidays as a result of Mr Carter's passion for the outdoors. Their youngest son Chris, who is currently on a gap year, is set to go to university and study outdoor studies in the Lake District. He said: "I have been on many trips with my dad, and we were climbing together earlier last month. I definitely got my passion for doing things like that from my father. He was such a self sacrificing person and was always doing something for someone else. He had this habit of not being able to say no to people, so he was always helping others out."

The couple's middle son, Matt, who is studying physics at Lancaster University, is also keen on outdoor sports. He said: "Although I am doing physics at university I would like to be involved in something in the open air too one day."

Mr and Mrs Carter were heavily involved in the church and Mr Carter did a lot of youth work in the area. His widow said: "After retiring from the Air Force he had six months off to concentrate on his youth work. "He spent most evenings helping with Duke of Edinburgh Awards and doing youth work at St Andrew's Church. We were also involved together in the Armed Forces Christian Union, and we ran camping and canoeing weekends."

Despite his busy life, Mrs Carter and her sons agree that family were always the priority for him.