Friends have paid tribute to a British couple who died after being swept away by floods while hiking on holiday in Spain.
Sarah Jane Thompson, 26, and Alexander Barrett, 32, were walking through Mallorca’s Tramuntana mountain range on 3 September when the incident happened. Ten people were rescued from the flooding.
The body of Thompson, from Levenshulme, Manchester, was recovered the following day in the Torrent de Pareis region. A body matching the description of Barrett, a climbing instructor who was last seen trying to save his girlfriend, was found on 6 September, a civil guard spokesperson confirmed.
A memorial will be held in Stockport on Sunday night to remember the couple.
The Stockport rock-climbing gym Awesome Walls, where Barrett worked as an instructor, paid tribute to the couple in a post on Instagram.
“Whilst on holiday, our brilliant instructor, Alex, and his wonderful girlfriend, Sarah, were involved in a tragic accident and have unfortunately passed away.
“Alex was known for his warm smile, kind nature and endless psych in all aspects of life. Whether it was in climbing or not, he was always keen to celebrate people’s achievements with a fist bump and a good laugh.
“Sarah was an Awesome Walls regular and a welcome sight to all who she crossed paths with. She was kind, joyful and would regularly make friends with people during her climbing sessions.
“We will miss them dearly, but even though they aren’t with us any more they will always be part of the Awesome Walls family.”
It added: “We do not want to forget these two wonderful people. Please keep talking about them and the experiences you shared with them. The laughter and sense of light they brought to the centre is something we should all strive to keep in our lives.
“Goodbye Alex and Sarah. We hope you’re still climbing mountains somewhere.”
In a Facebook post, the Good Rebel bar in Stockport, where Thompson previously worked, said: “Even though she left two years ago, Sarah was and still is a very big part of the Good Rebel, being with us from day one and helping make the Good Rebel what it is. She was the heart and soul of the place and left an impression on everyone who walked through our door with her beaming smile and welcoming nature.
“She was the kindest and happiest person you could ever meet and could rock a pair of dungarees like no other. We love and miss you Sarah x.”
