Prince William with mountain rescuers and members of the Centrepoint charity during last year's ascent of Helvellyn

Sometimes it pays to have friends in high places.

Mountain rescuers in England and Wales are more than £24,000 better off after their patron took part in a charity polo match to raise cash for two charities.

Prince William played in the game, between his team Umbogo and Cirencester Park, and the resulting proceeds were split between Mountain Rescue England & Wales and Centrepoint, the homeless charity of which he is also patron.

The prince’s team won the match 4-3½. Representatives of the umbrella body for mountain and cave rescue south of the border picked up a cheque for £24,250 from the organisers of the game.

In July last year, Prince William joined members of the Lake District’s 12 mountain rescue teams and young people from Centrepoint in an ascent of Helvellyn, England’s third highest mountain. He is currently training to be a pilot of the RAF’s search and rescue Sea King helicopters based at Valley, Anglesey.