British man, 27, dies after being swept 50ft by avalanche in French ski resort

Val Thorens as seen during more typical ski season weather (Picture: AFP)

A British man has died after being buried by one of a series of unusual avalanches at a ski resort in the French alps on Thursday.

Local officials say the 27-year-old was near a roadside in Val Thorens when he was swept 50 feet (15 metres) by snow,sending him into cardiac arrest.

A witness alerted nearby police officers,who pulled the victim out of the snow and gave him first aid.

He was taken to hospital in Grenoble but died later that evening.

The area had been hit by series of avalanches that morning which forced authorities to close the slopes and sent towns into lockdown.

Meteorologists said snowfalls in the region were the biggest on record at this time of year,with more than a metre falling in a few hours in some areas.

People in Val Thorens as well as the nearby resorts of Tignes and Val-d’Isère were ordered to stay indoors,while roads and schools were closed.

The regional prosecutor’s office said an investigation has been opened into the man’s death.

A Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office spokesperson said: ‘We are supporting the family of a British man who died in France and are in contact with the local authorities.’