Bishop leads tribute to newly-married teacher killed during school ski trip

Jonathan Taylor, 44, died in Austria after apparently falling down a steep slope and then a wall as he walked back to his accommodation after a night out with staff colleagues on Sunday.

The accident happened in the resort of Matrei in the Austrian Tyrol on the first day of what was due to be a week-long ski trip.

Mr Taylor, from Huddersfield, had only got married, to Alison, last year and she is due to give birth to their first child in August.

The couple had been together for 17 years.

Mr Taylor’s parents, Joan and John Taylor, of Almondbury in Huddersfield, described their son as a “ray of sunshine” who was well respected.

He had a love of walking and climbing and had spent two years out of teaching to go to New Zealand.

It is believed that Mr Taylor was the last person in a group of colleagues making their way back at about 3.10am on Sunday.

It is thought that he fell down a slope and then over a high stone wall onto the road below where he hit his head.

He was left with serious head injuries and died despite the efforts of emergency services.

Mr Taylor taught IT at Christ the King Catholic Voluntary Academy in the Arnold district of Nottingham.

It is believed that he had only been at the school for about a year.

The pupils have since returned home.

Altogether, 48 pupils aged 14 and 15 were on the trip.

Neighbours of the Taylors in Arnold, Nottingham described him as a gentleman.

Next-door neighbour June Bailey said: “He was such a nice, gentle, kind man. They don’t come any nicer than Jonathan. They’re a lovely, helpful couple. He was a lovely guy.

“He always had time to help people.”

Among those paying tributes was the Bishop of Nottingham, Malcolm McMahon, who said: “Jonathan will be remembered with affection by many people.”

Mr Taylor was educated in Almondbury and spent a year at Huddersfield Polytechnic, studying media and IT before transferring to Leicester to complete his degree.

A funeral date has yet to be arranged.