DASHING Prince William came to the rescue when pensioner Barbara Wilkins hurt herself walking down Mount Snowdon.
The Prince was piloting the RAF Sea King helicopter which 72-year-old ferried Mrs Wilkins to safety after she trapped a nerve in her foot.
The retired Stonehouse factory worker and her husband Jeffrey, 74, were on holiday in Wales when she stepped awkwardly on the rough terrain and inflamed an old injury.
Mrs Wilkins said: "I couldn't stand on my foot. The Llanberis Mountain Rescue came."
An RAF helicopter was called in to transport the couple, who have been married for 50 years, to lower ground.
It was only after the pilot waved them goodbye that fellow rescuers told them the Prince was behind the helicopter's controls.
Mrs Wilkins said: "As we got off the pilot put his hand up to us but with his visor down.
"They said 'do you know who was flying that helicopter?' I said 'no'. When they told me I said 'you're pulling my leg'."
Mr and Mrs Wilkins sent the Llanberis Mountain Rescue volunteers a thank you cheque when they got home and are urging others to support the worthy cause.
The couple were holidaying in Wales with Canadian cousins and friends from Minch-inhampton.
They took the train up to the summit of Snowdon but decided to walk down.
"We were silly old codgers," Mrs Wilkins said. "It is very rugged with rocks, boulders and loose screed."
