A British man was killed after falling 155m (500ft) down a cliff at a popular rock climbing area in New Zealand on Friday.

Matthew Byron Allison, a 26-year-old British national who had been in New Zealand since February, was found in thick scrub at the base of Chinaman’s Bluff in the Dart River Valley, northwest of Queenstown on the country’s south island.

Mr Allison had been climbing with his friend, James Briscall, when the tragedy occurred. A rope became entangled while the men were descending the cliff face after successfully making the climb to the top earlier in the day.

According to Mr Briscall, who was rescued unharmed the next morning, he had successfully abseiled down the cliff and rested on a small ledge when Mr Allison began his descent, using the same rope.

However Mr Allison’s climb went tragically wrong when the rope became stuck as he tried to secure himself around a tree. Trying to free himself, he was thrown off balance, the tree branch gave way, and Mr Allison plunged to his death.

Mr Briscall spent the night on a ledge on the cliff waiting for rescuers who had unsuccessfully attempted to find the pair by yelling into the darkness. A search and rescue team then commenced an aerial and ground search at daybreak and eventually located the pair.

Mr Briscall said Mr Allison, who was originally from Birmingham, had died doing what he loved.

“Matt and I had experienced a fantastic climb and Matt had expressed how at home and how privileged he felt, to bear witness to the amazing scenery around us,” Mr Briscall said.

“I want to express my heartfelt sympathy to Matt’s family and friends for their tragic loss.”

Jeremy Murray–Orr, who worked at Wanaka Rock Climbing and was a friend of Mr Allison’s, said it was “just a freak accident”.

“I don’t think they did anything wrong, they were both very skilled climbers,” Mr Murray-Orr, who had been rock climbing with Mr Allison on several occasions, told The Times.

“But it was unfortunate that the tree (Mr Allison) entrusted didn’t hold his weight.”

Mr Murray-Orr said Mr Allison, who worked at the local waste recycling plant in Wanaka, had been attracted to New Zealand because of the country’s adventure tourism industry.

“He was young and full of life, very bubbly,” Mr Murray-Orr said.

“That’s why he was enjoying living in Wanaka so much. He loved canyoning, rock climbing and mountaineering.”

Chinaman’s Bluff, which reaches approximately 530m (1738ft) high, is popular among experienced climbers because of its many rock ledges and vegetation which provides for different climbing routes.

It is a considered a New Zealand grade 20 difficulty to climb, recommended for climbers with medium to advanced skills.

New Zealand is a popular destination known for its extreme sports and adventure tourism, which includes bungee jumping, white water rafting, mountaineering and skiing.

However the country’s thrill-seeking attractions can be dangerous for tourists.

In April last year British student Emily Jordan drowned while taking part in a white water adventure tour on a river in New Zealand.

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