PRIMARY school pupils were able to celebrate their achievements with a royal visitor yesterday.

The Princess Royal visited Hartlepool to acknowledge the high achievement levels of the town's primary schools.

Hartlepool is the first local education authority in the country to achieve the Quality Mark for all of its primary schools.

During her visit to the town's Civic Centre, she met pupils and representatives from all 30 primary schools, together with the other Quality Mark holders Springwell and Catcote Special Schools, Seaton Carew Nursery and Dyke House School.

Jeremy Fitt, Hartlepool Borough Council's director of education said: "All of our primary schools have worked very hard to gain the Quality Mark and everyone was very excited that the Princess Royal came to Hartlepool to acknowledge the achievement."

Earlier in the day, she had attended the launch of Gateshead Carer's development plan at the Valley Centre, Gateshead, and a showcase for Crime Concerns at the town's Marriott Hotel.

She also opened Farmborough Court Intermediate Care Centre, Town End Farm, in Sunderland.