A SOLDIER died from natural causes after collapsing at the end of a training run in Brecon on the hottest day of the year.
Corporal Joshua Hoole, 26, collapsed on a tough training yomp - three years after three other soldiers died during a selection exercise in the Brecon Beacons.
But police investigating his death say Cpl Hoole died of natural causes and have ruled out criminal action.
The superfit soldier of the Rifles regiment collapsed at the end of an eight-mile fitness run around Brecon on July 19 - when temperatures hit 30C.
His family have been told Cpl Hoole - who completed two tours of Afghanistan - may have been suffering from an underlying heart condition that went previously undetected in Army medical tests.
A Dyfed Powys Police spokeswoman said: "Dyfed-Powys Police have concluded their investigation into the unexplained death of Cpl Joshua Hoole on the July 19, 2016 at Brecon, Powys.
"The investigation has revealed that the cause of death is due to natural causes and the matter has been referred to HM Coroner for Powys, Mr Andrew Barkley."
An Army spokesman said: "Our thoughts remain with the family and friends of Corporal Joshua Hoole.
"The incident is still being investigated and, therefore, it would be inappropriate to comment further."
Cpl Hoole, of Ecclefechan, near Lockerbie, Scotland, was preparing for a seven-week training course for promotion to platoon sergeant when he died close to the Infantry Battle School at Dering Lines in Brecon.
Speaking previously, his father Philip said: "I’ve talked to the pathologist and it looks like there was something in the heart tissue that’s not quite right.
"It might be genetic, so there are members of my family who are having to go to the doctor and start getting checked up.
"He wouldn’t have wanted the soldiers who were with him, or the medics, to feel any blame. He was doing his job and he knew the risks.
"The truth is, my son might have dropped down dead any time
"He wouldn’t have wanted the soldiers who were with him, or the medics, to feel any blame. He was doing his job and he knew the risks.
"He was pushing himself. Josh always pushed himself 110 per cent. He was smashing that run and was at the front throughout, but just before the end he knew something wasn’t quite right.
"He turned round to someone and told them he wasn’t feeling too good, then he collapsed. The medics who were there did the best they could to keep him alive, but there was basically nothing they could do."
His death came almost exactly three years after three other soldiers died while on an SAS selection course on the Beacons in July 2013
A coroner criticised the MOD over the deaths of Lance Corporal Edward Maher, Lance Corporal Craig Roberts and Corporal James Dunsby after they collapsed of heat exhaustion in the Brecon Beacons.