The Princess Royal spoke to youngsters who care for their relatives when she paid a flying visit to Essex yesterday .She was visiting the Maldon Carers Centre to officially launch a young carers project for children who provide unpaid care to members of their family.

The Princess Royal spoke to youngsters who care for their relatives when she paid a flying visit to Essex yesterday .

She was visiting the Maldon Carers Centre to officially launch a young carers project for children who provide unpaid care to members of their family.

The centre, at Brickhouse Farm Community Centre, supports over 40 young carers in the Maldon and Chelmsford areas.

Princess Anne, who is president of the Princess Royal Trust for Carers, of which the Maldon Carers Centre is a member, arrived in Maldon by helicopter.

She was treated to a performance by some of the young carers and then met and spoke to some of the youngsters and people who work on the project. She also unveiled a plaque which commemorated her visit.

One of the carers she met was Joe Race, 14, who cares for his grandmother, Linda Race, who has problems with her heart and has a hole in her lung.

Joe, who lives alone with his grandmother in Steeple, told Princess Anne he had to keep an eye on his grandmother and help her whenever she is having problems.

“I get to go out with my friends, but I worry when I'm away from my nan,” he said.

He said meeting the princess meant quite a bit to him. “I've met someone royal and it will impact on my life in the future.”

Another young carer who met the princess was 15-year-old Kerry Saunderson, from Burnham-on-Sea, who became involved with Maldon Carers Centre because of her brother, Billy, 16, who cannot speak.

As well as looking after Billy, who cannot go out by himself because he cannot communicate, Kerry said she also cares for her grandfather, George Saunderson, who had a heart attack last year.

Kerry said she shook the princess's hand and opened doors for her.

Claire Beattie, carer support and development officer at the Maldon Carers Centre, said the visit went well.

The Young Carers Project provides one-to-one support for young carers, incorporating holistic family support and home visits, as well as a place to relax and unwind.