Judge praises Prince William for saving his life
A judge who was rescued by Prince William after suffering a heart attack on Snowdonia said he hadn't planned to be rescued by the prince, he merely wanted to 'have a nice day on the hills.'
31 March 2011: Prince William stands with his search and rescue crew, (from left to right) winchman Sergeant Ed Griffith, Flight Lieutenant Alan Connor and winch operator Sergeant Paul Jones, alongside their Sea King helicopter at RAF Valley in Anglesey, north Wales, after a training exercise at nearby Holyhead Mountain Photo: PA
6:45AM BST 09 May 2011
Nick Barnett, 70, was the first stricken mountain walker to be rescued by Flight Lieutenant Wales since the prince returned to work following his marriage to Kate Middleton..
After delaying his honeymoon to resume his duties as a rescue pilot, William was at the controls of a Sea King helicopter from RAF Valley in Anglesey which flew to the aid of the retired Hong Kong High Court judge.
Thanks to the prince and his colleagues, the grandfather from Midhurst, West Sussex, reached Gwynedd Hospital at Bangor for emergency treatment within the vital golden hour.
Lying in his bed in the hospitals coronary care unit, the judge, who was an Admiralty and commercial judge in the former Far East British colony until 1999 and still sits in the Supreme Court of Brunei, recalled how he had been on 2,946ft Y Lliwedd in Snowdonia when he collapsed.
Just days earlier he had been one of the huge TV global audience who watched William and Kate marry.
Before he travelled to North Wales with army officer son Giles, 31, the judges wife Philomena had even quipped that it would be amazing if they were picked up by the prince while hiking on the mountains
Mr Barnett, a father-of-two, said :"I'm very grateful to Prince William and the entire helicopter crew and the member of the Llanberis mountain rescue team who came to my aid and was extremely helpful."
The judge, an experienced hill walker who has trekked in the Himalayas, been up Ben Nevis, and travelled to the Rockies, became ill during his first visit in almost half a century to North Wales.
"We left the summit of Snowdon and were between Snowdon and Y Lliwedd when I became ill. To begin with I couldnt get my thighs to go up and down and then I felt discomfort in my chest.
"I started taking it easy, sitting down after a few paces, until I thought this is ridiculous I cant go any further.
"Then I felt the need to sit down again and the next time I stood up nothing happened my legs wouldnt move and I had no strength in my arms. I collapsed on the ground."
Mr Barnett was winched into the Prince's helicopter and arrived at hospital in time for specialists to prevent long term damage.
"I didnt set out to be rescued by Prince William. I'd planned a nice day on the hills and to have a nice pint of beer in Betws y Coed where we were staying. Family and friends are all stunned by who saved me.
The Snowdon Horseshoe is described by one hikers guide as probably the nations most famous high level mountain walking challenge and one for those with a head for heights.
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