Prince William's first day as part of search & rescue with RAF Valley in Anglesey got off to a fairly dramatic start. The Prince was scrambled after holidaymakers spotted a man narrating in the water. It turned out to be Neil Oliver who was filming a piece for the neverending BBC series - Coast. The long-haired, dramatically voiced Scottish presenter was too close to the edge and has been for the past three series but it finally caught up with him.
His cameraman captured the whole incident on film. "On a cold, dark, windy and wet stormy night in 1847, Captain... William.. Theodore.. Blythe was 400 yards off shore. He was surrounded by the the more powerful, heavily armed, superior ships of the Crown. Waves were thrashing and lightening lit up the night sky and the constant sound of thunder drowned out the raging battle below. Suddenly, as if commanded by Captain Blythe, a huge wave, a bit like the one that's coming in nowwwww...... ahhhhhhhhhh."
Oliver was swept out to sea but continued his overly dramatic tale of piracy and intrigue, while being flung periously close to rocks "Captain....William... Theodore..... Blythe was thrashed unmercifully against the jagged rocks, eroded by the unforgiving tides since the dawn of time. He lies at the bottom of the deep, dark ocean and his secrets remain buried in this forsaken watery grave. They say when the wind blows you can hear the distant echoes of Captain Blythe and his men, who died on that fateful night 150 years ago."
"Stop presenting and put on the rubber ring," the crew repeatedly shouted.
Footage shows the helicopter hovering above, with Prince William sitting next to the guy flying it and pointing down. The Prince's training had proved invaluable and he could now take a back seat while the rest of the rescue team did the bit that matters - the actual rescue.
William 'Cymru' Wales, who has just won the prestigious 'Top Spin' for the 'best of the best' helicopter co-pilots, had been given the choice to serve anywhere in the world. Anglesey was deemed to be the furthest posting from any sort of conflict. It's seen as a compromise which lets the Prince have fun flying helicopters while being in no danger whatsoever. William will be stationed in safety for three years and is due to be married eventually.
