POLICE have released the name of a 24-year-old kayaker who died on Tuesday afternoon in the water near Beddgelert.

Thomas Lloyd, from Staffordshire, had been kayaking with his friends on the afternoon of Tuesday, 27 September when he got into difficulty in the Aberglaslyn Pass.

North Wales Police, North Wales Fire and Rescue Service, Welsh Ambulance Service and the Aberglaslyn and Ogwen Valley mountain rescue teams were alerted to his disappearance just after 3pm.

His body was located and recovered from the water the following morning.

A spokeswoman for North Wales Police said: “North Wales Police can now confirm that the man who tragically died following an incident in Aberglaslyn on Tuesday, 27 September has been named as Thomas Lloyd. He was 24-years-old and came from the Whittingham area of Staffordshire.

“The family are being supported by a North Wales Police Family Liaison Officer and our thoughts are with Mr Lloyd’s family at this time.”

Mountain rescue volunteers were heavily involved in the search for Mr Lloyd and spent many hours searching the banks of the river.

Aberglaslyn Mountain Rescue team’s secretary, Gethin Edwards said: “This was a particularly complex operation which required a high level of skill and expertise from those agencies present under the most tragic circumstances.

“I would like to thank our partner agencies for their support during this difficult operation. Our sympathies go out to the family and friends of the person involved.”