Visitors and staff at an Essex tourist attraction were paid a surprise visit by acting royalty.

Dame Helen Mirren dropped into RHS Garden Hyde Hall, near Chelmsford, on Friday for a day out with family.

The hard working star of the stage and the big and small screen, who is a longstanding visitor to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, even stayed for lunch at the gardens as she enjoyed the best of the sunshine.

Before leaving she stopped to chat to gardening staff and asked them about their planting schemes, as well as posing for photos.

Dame Helen, 68, is perhaps best known for her role portraying Her Majesty in The Queen for which she won Best Actress at the Oscars, Baftas and Golden Globes.

Anna Baldwin, events manager at RHS Hyde Hall, said: “We didn’t know she was coming, but we were very pleased to have Dame Helen visit the garden.

“She was really lovely and talked to the gardeners asking lots of questions about the flowers.

“I don’t think we were star-struck, but it was good to have her visit RHS Hyde Hall.”