Soldier dies in Brecon Beacons on hottest day of year

A rifleman from Scotland has died while training in the Brecon Beacons.

"We can confirm that a soldier from Infantry training centre Catterick died on 19 July while conducting pre-course training for the platoon sergeants' battle course (PSBC) in Brecon," the Ministry of Defence (MoD) said.

Emergency services were summoned to Dering Lines infantry training centre shortly before 9am on Tuesday in response to a medical emergency, the BBC reports.

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The soldier was named as Joshua Hoole, a 26-year-old corporal from Lockerbie who belonged to the Rifles regiment. The South Wales Evening Post says he was taking part in an eight-mile run when he was taken ill.

The PSBC, which the MoD says is "mentally and physically demanding", is designed to prepare soldiers for the "rigours of command". Successful candidates are eligible for promotion to platoon sergeant in the Rifles regiment.

The MoD will undertake a "full investigation" into the incident, said junior defence minister Harriett Baldwin, who called the news "very sad".

The death comes three years after the MoD was officially censured by the Health and Safety Executive over the deaths of three army reservists who collapsed during a heatwave in the Brecon Beacons.

James Dunsby, Edward Maher and Craig Roberts were taking part in a gruelling march for potential SAS recruits when they suffered heat illness. An inquest found the march organisers had made "very serious mistakes", including insufficient access to water and a "chaotic" emergency response.