PRINCESS Anne was visiting the North-East on Friday.

HRH The Princess Royal officially opened East Durham College’s Redeveloped Houghall Campus, on the outskirts of Durham.

The region’s leading land-based College recently underwent a £12.75 million renovation as part of its plans to fully modernize the entire site, which originally opened in 1938, as the Durham County School of Agriculture.

After a short presentation in which Princess Anne met the meet the college’s leadership team and governors, she toured the campus, to see the new facilities while learning how the college is training its students in a range of land-based disciplines.

She spent time in the college’s dog grooming studio and came face-to-face with some of Houghall’s reptiles in the lizard workshop.

During the tour, the Princess heard from students and staff about their equine studies and small animal care and management courses, while also learning about how the new facilities.

These include a brand-new small animal care centre, agricultural centre, equine centre, brand new science labs and IT suites, and new enhanced access and parking facilities.

Unveiling a plaque, Princess Anne said: "My congratulations. It brings a a huge encouragement to see this that level of investment in land-based industries and they way in which it is put to together and the people who manage it.

"I hope the investment itself will attract more people to look at it and at potential careers. 

"It is also the way you teach here. It has a great history this place and it has a lot going for it in the future as well, so I wish you well and luck in the next stages."

HRH The Princess Royal to officially open new-built state-of-the art Berendsen textile service operations plant in Durham

Earlier today Berendsen commemorate the official opening of its new-built state-of-the-art textile service operations plant in Meadowfield, Durham.

The ceremony, presided over by Princess Anne was attended by the Berendsen Workwear managing director Peter Haveus and the Berendsen UK Country manager, Mark Franklin, local plant management and staff as well as a number of specially invited customers and business partners.

The new-build plant will handle protective wear and hygiene garments as well as mats and roller towels. It uses state-of-the art chip technology and advanced machinery to ensure high efficiency, capacity and flexibility as well as reduced energy consumption.

The new Berendsen plant in Durham will deliver 17,000 garments to customers daily, requiring 250 tons of garments to be washed per month. In total 168 staff will be employed in the service, production and distribution teams.