British teenage boy dies on French Alps skiing holiday

A teenage boy from the UK who was killed while on a skiing holiday with a group of friends in the French Alps has been named.

Louis Ross, 17, reportedly lost control on a slope in Meribel, the same resort where former F1 world champion Michael Schumacher suffered a brain injury in 2013.

Louis was a lower sixth pupil at Canford School, an independent co-educational school in Wimborne, Dorset.

Police say the boy was going too fast down an intermediate blue piste despite signs asking skiers to slow down ahead of an intersection.

He lost balance and smashed into the slope at 10.35am on Wednesday.

Despite wearing a helmet, he suffered injuries to his face and, according to mountain rescuers, also sustained significant internal injuries to his chest.

Rescuers arrived within 10 minutes and found the teen in cardiac arrest and despite multiple attempts at resuscitation they were unable to save him.

The resort has not had significant snowfall for nearly two weeks and police believe the hardness of the piste contributed to the severity of the accident.

Friends of the teenager have taken to Twitter to express their shock at Louis's sudden death, with one saying "RIP Louis" and "Don't take life for granted".

Manu Dupost, a member of the mountain rescue team, said: "My message to the English public is to please be careful.

"Ski slopes are dangerous and it's important to be cautious with your speed to help avoid an accident and keep you safe."

An investigation into the incident is underway.