Prince William was nearly crushed by a road sweeper when he spent the night sleeping rough in frigid weather for a charity.

Hardy Wills, 27, dossed down in a sleeping bag on cardboard boxes next to wheelie bins to highlight the plight of the homeless.

But the council cleaning vehicle almost ran over the future King in a central London alleyway.

The Prince, clearly shaken by the experience, said yesterday: "I cannot, after one night, even begin to imagine what it must be like to sleep rough on London's streets night after night.

"Poverty, mental illness, drug and alcohol dependency and family breakdown cause people to become and then stay homeless.

"I hope that by deepening my understanding of the issue, I can help do my bit to help the most vulnerable on our streets."

William accepted the challenge of youth homeless charity Centrepoint last week.

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