A DORSET adventurer is believed to have fallen to his death while on an overland adventure holiday in South America Dave Dieppe, 22, whose parents live in Ludwell in Shaftesbury, was taking part in a tour with Oasis Overland, exploring the west coast of South America and the Inca Trail during his summer vacation.

Dave, who was about to enter his final year at Nottingham University, where he was studying Russian, German and European history, was last seen alive on August 7 in Peru.

He and a group of trekkers had arrived at the remote coastal bay of Puerto Inca, where they set up camp and started cooking. It is believed that Dave had gone to look at some seals from a clifftop overlooking Tacana Beach.

After he failed to return to his hotel, the alarm was raised and an extensive search was launched involving a British trained search and rescue team, but they found nothing.

The young Officer Training Corp member had a bright future ahead of him and he had hoped to join either the Royal Marines or the Light Infantry upon graduating from Sandhurst where he held a place.

He had also competed in several endurance races including the gruelling 150 mile Marathon De Sables through the Sahara and participated in a three-man Polar Challenge by pulling a sledge in a 350 mile race to the North Pole in temperatures of -50 degrees Celsius.

His parents travelled out to Peru immediately after the alarm was raised and are said to be too distressed to talk about their son's disappearance.