Camera abandoned by student on mountain top is returned full of snaps of fellow walkers



A student left a camera on a picturesque mountaintop in Snowdonia in an experiment into human trust.

Paul Bellis Jones, 24, left a note with the camera near the summit of Mount Tryfan, instructing walkers to take a picture then leave it for the next person.



He was keen to know if the camera would be returned to his home in Glan Conwy, near Llandudno, as per his instructions, of if it would be stolen instead.

Snap happy: Paul Bellis Jones was left with over 30 pictures of fellow walkers when he abandoned a camera near the summit of Mount Tryfan

Thankfully for Mr Jones, over 30 ramblers took photographs of themselves at the beauty spot, which overlooks two large rocks near the summit.

When the film ran out four days later, the camera was personally returned to his house by a National Park warden.

The student, who left the camera and accompanying note in a sealed bag, launched the experiment in mid-May.

He said: 'I was speaking to a friend who said you can't trust anyone, anywhere these days.

'I didn't want to believe that so I set up this experiment to found out what might happen and proved you can trust people.'

High hopes: The camera was left on the Snowdonia peak as an experiment

Strike a pose: The camera was left with a note instructing walkers to take a picture then leave it for the next person

'I planned it that way. Tryfan is very popular and gets a lot of visitors, but not as many as Snowdon.



'The camera was one of the use-once type and was left in clear view near Adam and Eve, the two large rocks, right at the summit.

'I took the first photo of my friends and then left it. There was another group just behind us coming up to the summit and I saw they had found the camera and knew it was being used. But I didn't know then if I would see it again.'

In the frame: The camera was returned to Mr Jones personally by a National Park warden when the film ran out

Rock on: The camera was left in clear view near two large rocks near the summit

The camera was returned to Mr Jones by Ogwen Valley warden Brian Jones.

He said: 'We find a lot of equipment on the hills during the year and we do our best to reunite it with their owners.

'I found the camera and thought it had been lost until I saw the note.

'I was passing his home and just dropped it off. I'm glad the photos came out fine.'



Say cheese: Mr Jones set up the experiment to prove people could be trusted

National trust: Over 30 ramblers took photographs at the beauty spot



