Here's why a helicopter was hovering above Blackpool late last night

Several people contacted The Gazette asking what was going on overnight.

One said it was "military sounding" and "not the usual sound of the air ambulance or police helicopter", while another said: "It's strange because it has five lights on it, which would suggest it's not a helicopter; I would say it's some sort of survey equipment being used for something."

After some enquiries, it has emerged the helicopter was from the Coastguard service, and was transporting a 77-year-old man from the Trough of Bowland area to Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

He fell ill late last night and had to be winched to the chopper due to the rolling nature of the Forest of Bowland landscape.

The helicopter arrived at Lawson's Field, near to the hospital, at around midnight but, because of the mist and poor weather conditions, had to make several passes before landing safely.

Coastguard rescuers, who ensured the field was safe to land on, helped paramedics put the poorly pensioner onto a stretcher before he was taken down the road for treatment.

The incident would have likely woken residents living near to Lawson's Field, with the helicopter unable to turn its blades off while on the ground - or it might have sunk into the mud.

Last November, a gas rig worker was evacuated to the Vic's Cardiac Centre after suffering chest pains - and was also brought to Lawson's Field by the helicopter, which is based at Caernarfon Airport in Wales.