A teenage boy has been killed and a woman seriously injured after a cave roof collapsed during a camping trip.
The boy, named locally as Aiden Brookes, was pronounced dead on arrival at hospital after the incident at Hermitage Caves, near Bridgnorth, Shropshire.
An 18-year-old local woman, who was also injured in the collapse, remains in a "serious but not life-threatening" condition.
West Mercia Police said it was believed that a group of youngsters had lit a fire while camping in the sandstone cave.
A force spokesman said: "At this stage we are trying to establish exactly what happened, but it seems that a quantity of rocks and rubble fell on those inside when part of the cave collapsed. It appears to be a tragic accident."
The spokesman added: "Shropshire Fire and Rescue Service dealt with a small fire inside the cave. The area has now been sealed off and the Health and Safety Executive informed."
A Facebook page set up in tribute to Aiden soon attracted more than 150 members.
One posting on the site read: "Aiden was a great friend, an amazing rugby player and a good corporal at cadets. I have never met a nicer person in my life. He will be missed by all of his friends very much and we shall never forget him."
Friend James Harrison wrote: "Such a great guy, surely will miss him, a supportive soul for his family and his friends, and greatly admired within the Air Cadets and from School."
Another friend, Keely Sheridan, added: "Aiden, it is true some people are just too good for this world. We all had, and remain to have, so much respect for you as a human being. This is so tragic, you are a brilliant person whose light shone so brightly but all too briefly upon the world. We all love and will miss you Aiden x x"
