BRITAIN'S hardest working princess will give a royal seal of approval to a busy new community project in Bishop Auckland tomorrow.

Princess Anne, the Princess Royal, is performing an official opening ceremony at the £1.2m Four Clocks Community Resource centre, in Newgate Street, soon after 10.30am.

Volunteers spent six years planning and attracting funding for the project before it opened in the former Wesley Methodist Church last May.

The Princess will spend 70 minutes in the building meeting volunteers and staff from different organisations based there.

As patron of the National Association of Citizens Advice Bureaux, she will spend a large part of her visit with the Wear Valley branch and unveil a plaque in its offices.

She will also talk to members of the Bishop Auckland Community Partnership, architect John Niven and contractor Robert Manners.

Partnership chairman the Rev Michael Thompson said the visit would be a boost to everyone involved in the project as well as the whole community.

He said: "It will be a special day for the town.

"The £1.2m investment has been of immense benefit to the town of Bishop Auckland. It is a great advantage to have the various community-help organisations under one roof, especially situated in such wonderful surroundings."