CLIMBERS paid tribute this week to mountaineer and father-of-two Ian Tattersall, who died in a paragliding accident in Greece.

Dr Tattersall, aged 48, from Wood Street, Mow Cop, was on holiday with friends in Heliomodi, 50 miles from Athens, when the accident happened.

He and a friend are understood to have been flying their paragliders when Dr Tattersall's craft crashed into a mountain.

The Greek police are investigating the tragedy.

Dr Tattersall was married with two teenage sons, and had a GP practice in Kidsgrove.

He was an internationally known mountaineer, and had climbed with some of the world's top mountaineers.

Andy Perkins, former vice-president of the British Mountaineering Council, said Dr Tattersall was 'devoted' to his family and his job.

"He was a very happy man, and extremely easy to get on with," he said.

"He climbed all over the world, and was involved in the first ascent of the south face of Mera in Nepal.

"I had known him since 1988, and understand he was flying with a friend when the accident happened."

Andy McNae from the BMC said Dr Tattersall was a talented climber and 'great company.'

"He climbed a lot with Mal Duff, did a number of first ascents, and I was very sad to hear of his death," he said.

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