The trial was taking place on Pen y Fan. Photo: Kenneth Yarham CC-BY-SA-2.0

The second of two soldiers who died in sweltering heat on south Wales’s highest mountain has been named.

Edward Maher, 31, died hospital in Merthyr Tydfil about three hours after being rescued during selection training in 29C heat on Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons.

Lance Corporal Craig Roberts, 24, was pronounced dead on the mountainside on 13 July.

An inquest was opened and adjourned at Brecon.

Dyfed-Powys Police are investigating the circumstances of the deaths, the medical cause of which, the inquest heard, is ‘unascertained’.

The two Territorial Army members were taking part in an exercise to select potential members of the Special Air Service.

Pen y Fan, at 886m (2,907ft) the highest mountain in the Brecon Beacons, is the scene of the gruelling Fan Dance test, which sees soldiers take part in a gruelling timed double ascent and descent of the peak.

A Ministry of Defence statement said: “We can confirm that the coroner opened and adjourned an inquest into the deaths of two Army reserve soldiers who died during a routine training exercise.

“As this is an ongoing investigation by Dyfed-Powys Police it would be inappropriate to comment further until this process is concluded.

“Our thoughts remain with the friends and families of the soldiers at this difficult time.”

A third soldier remains in hospital after the incident.