The Duke of Cambridge has taken part in a search mission to rescue a man swept into the sea in gale-force winds.
William, an RAF Search and Rescue helicopter pilot, was called out with crewmates from his base at RAF Valley on Anglesey to help locate the man.
The 41-year-old was reportedly walking his dog in Blackpool with another man when the pair ended up in the water just after midnight on New Year's Day.
The Duke used the lights from his Sea King helicopter to help RNLI and Coastguard crews from Blackpool and Lytham St Annes look for the dog walker in the water.
Stuart Atkinson, watch manager at Crosby Coastguard station, said on Tuesday: "We received a call at 12.13am from Lancashire Police reporting that a male was in the water near the South Pier at Blackpool.
"A second male had been in the water but managed to get to safety and raise the alarm. We believe, but it's not confirmed, that they were walking their dogs.
"A search was carried out by coastguard rescue units, the local RNLI lifeboats from Blackpool and Lytham St Annes and the police helicopter. The rescue helicopter from RAF Valley was also there providing lighting assistance for the search teams."
Further shore based searches were carried out this morning but they have now ended, said a Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokeswoman.
Flight Lieutenant Wales, as the Duke is known in the military, completed his first rescue as a fully operational pilot in October 2010, helping a man who fell seriously ill while working on a gas rig in Morecambe Bay. William has gone on to qualify as an operational captain which gives him overall control of his helicopter.
A source confirmed the Duke had taken part in the search efforts.
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