Dropping in on Kate? There aren't many fields in Hants.. EXCLUSIVE RAF CHIEF BACKS WILLS JAUNT.

Byline: BY CHRIS HUGHES SECURITYCORRESPONDENT

PRINCE William has been backed by the head of the RAF after he landed a Chinook helicopter in girlfriend Kate Middleton's back garden.

He was accused of using the military aircraft for joyriding after he set it down in a paddock belonging to Kate's parents.

But Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpey has insisted newly-qualified RAF pilot Wills was legitimately practising landing and taking off from grass.

And the MoD said Kate's paddock was chosen because there are apparently not many other fields available in Hampshire. A spokesman said: "Helicopter bases continually seek permission from land owners to use their fields and there are only two fields permanently avail able in Hampshire. Opportunities to use alternatives are therefore regularly seized. The sortie was fully authorised and planned and was an agreed part of Prince William's attachment to the RAF.

"The aircraft landed in the field after taking all necessary safety precautions and was on the ground for 20 seconds. No one got on or off the aircraft. This was very much a routine training sortie that achieved essential training objectives."

William landed in the paddock on April 3 - a week before he used a Chinook to fly to his cousin Peter Phillips's stag party on the Isle of Wight.

Sir Glenn ordered an investigation into the circumstances of both flights and then ruled they were legitimate training exercises.

The RAF defended the "stag night" flight more than a week ago by claiming Wills was "on a legitimate exercise, practising flying over water."

Both flights are said to have been authorised by William's superiors.

But a defence source said: "The Air Force needs to reassess whether in the light of what is happening in Afghanistan and Iraq it is appropriate for Prince William to behave in this way.

"Sir Glenn has given his seal of approval but many in the Armed Forces do not agree. It doesn't look good - other officers don't get these privileges."

CAPTION(S):

RAF JUSTICE Chief Sir Glenn Torpey; BOVVERCRAFT Wills was blasted over flights in a Chinook, left