The final ice patch has vanished from Slovenia’s Triglav glacier, the latest Alpine casualty of Europe’s scorching summer.

The once mighty ice mass lost 93% of its surface area between 1983 and 2003, shrinking to cover less than a hectare of overheated rock, but went on to surprise researchers who feared its imminent demise, clinging on to the mountain for two more decades.

In the last five years, which includes Europe’s three hottest years on record, the remaining ice has melted to a handful of isolated pockets, with the final remnant of the main body measuring just a few metres by the end of summer. New photos of the mountainside – taken either side of snowfall this month – confirm that no ice remains.

The last piece of the Triglav glacier, pictured on 2 October.…