IT was an occasion to remember for the staff and students of an East Anglian School which greeted its first royal visitor for more than 60 years. Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, provided the regal touch at Colne Community School and College yesterday and delighted the hundreds of well-wishers who turned out to see her.

IT was an occasion to remember for the staff and students of an East Anglian School which greeted its first royal visitor for more than 60 years.

Her Royal Highness, Princess Anne, provided the regal touch at Colne Community School and College yesterday and delighted the hundreds of well-wishers who turned out to see her.

The princess opened a brand new all weather sports surface and dance studio, worth £800,000, which was funded through Sport England and by the specialist sports status the school has.

She spent more than an hour talking to staff and pupils at the school, which has a designated status as a sports college and was presented with a horse coat made by students, testament to the princess' love of all things equine.

Teacher, Mark Thomson, said despite a few nerves before the event, everything had gone perfectly.

"Our principal, Terry Creissen, was justly proud of how it went – the princess was extremely interested in all the changes here and stressed how important it was for everybody to take advantage of the facilities we have," he said.

The last time the school entertained a royal visitor was in 1938, when Queen Mary stopped by.