THE bodies of two avalanche victims from York were expected to be repatriated this morning.

Steve Barber, 47, and John Taylor, 48, both from Pear Tree Avenue in Poppleton , died in the disaster in the French Alps on Thursday.

Their bodies will be flown home mid-morning, North Yorkshire Police said.

The men were climbing to raise money for St Leonard’s Hospice in York and donations to Mr Barber’s online fundraising page have increased rapidly since the tragedy.

Donations stood at about £260 before the avalanche, but had increased to £5,867 by last night.