Tributes have been paid to a mum and son from Manchester who were killed in an avalanche on the highest mountain in the French Alps.

Kate Vokes, 54, and her son Archie, 22, were named as the skiers who were swept to their deaths while off-piste at the resort of St Gervais les Bains, near Mont Blanc on Thursday.

The two were part of a group reportedly skiing far outside the designated slopes with an instructor when the avalanche occurred at an altitude of 2,300 metres.

Their family have since said they are ‘beyond heartbroken’ following the ‘tragic’ incident.

‘We are beyond heartbroken at the loss of our beloved and wonderful Kate and Archie,’ the statement from a family spokesperson read.

‘Words cannot express how terrible we all feel nor the hole in our lives that has been left by this tragic accident.

‘We kindly ask for privacy as we grieve together as a family.’

The statement added that Ms Vokes was chair of the Oglesby Charitable Trust and director of their family-owned property company Bruntwood.

She was also deputy chair of the Royal Exchange Theatre and a trustee of charities Shared Health and Focused Care.

Meanwhile, her son Mr Vokes was a personal trainer at Form in Manchester, and in the previous year had achieved his level 1 ski instructor qualification in Canada.

The two had been skiing with other family members, according to the Bonneville public prosecutor’s office.

Dozens of mountain rescuers set out to search for skiers trapped under the tons of snow.

A third skier, the instructor, was also buried but was wearing a detector helmet and was quickly found.

Five other people escaped, including the husband and father of the deceased.

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