Prince William patient 'fatally injured by police van searching for her'

A police van was answering a 999 call when it struck the woman at about 22:20 BST on 27 July

A missing woman was struck and fatally injured by a police van that had been sent out to search for her, investigators said.

The woman, who was walking in Hethel, Norfolk, died in hospital a day after being hit by the vehicle on 27 July.

The Duke of Cambridge was on his final shift as an air ambulance pilot when he was sent out to attend the incident.

The Independent Police Complaints Commission (IPCC) said her family had reported her missing hours earlier.

Prince William flew the air ambulance to the scene during his final shift with EEAA

The IPCC said: "Early indications are that the police van had its blue lights on at the time of the collision."

Investigators confirmed police had been "attending her missing persons report".

"The woman had been reported missing and concerns for her welfare raised by her family earlier that evening," the IPCC said.

"She was taken to hospital by air ambulance where she died in the morning of Saturday."

IPCC Operations manager Adam Stacey said: "The IPCC has now begun an investigation to determine the circumstances that led to her death and the actions of Norfolk police officers that night."

The woman received severe head injuries in the accident