Athletes meet Princess Anne as Island Games opens

Alderney athlete Benjamin Mutua and his coach Julie Longden were among some of the competitors who met the Princess Royal

Channel Island athletes have described meeting Princess Anne at the opening ceremony of the 20th Island Games as a "once in a lifetime" experience.

The Princess Royal greeted competitors from 24 different island communities as they prepared for the week-long event as she officially opened the games in Orkney on Saturday.

She also attended the opening ceremony hosted by Lorraine Kelly, where flag-bearers led their teams in a parade into the town centre.

Alderney runner Benjamin Mutua and his coach Julie Longden spoke to Anne about their trip to Orkney and their involvement in the games.

Mutua is competing in his first Island Games having only lived in Alderney for a couple years after moving to the island from Kenya.

Ms Longden said the encounter was "amazing".

"I have met royalty before but because of her love of sport it was so good to talk to her," she said.

Lorraine Kelly said she was honoured to have been asked to host the opening ceremony

After hosting the opening ceremony, Kelly said she was honoured to have been asked and that felt like an adopted Orcadian.

She said she felt "very emotional" at the ceremony because she was so fond of the Orkney islands and was so proud of the way the event had been organised.

As well as Orkney, she said she would be cheering on Sark in the games as the competition's smallest team.

"You know, I don't know that the others [Channel Islands] need me, I think because they're so good," she said.

"Beautiful Sark, amazing and fantastic, I love there's only two of them, and they made more noise than anyone else, it's just great so I’m rooting for them."

Lucy and Nick Le Boutillier have travelled to Orkney to support their daughter in the gymnastics

Spectators Lucy and Nick Le Boutillier travelled from Jersey to the opening ceremony to support their daughter Tilly, who is competing in the gymnastics.

Flying to Glasgow and driving a motorhome the rest of the way to Orkney, they said they had been planning their trip ever since she made the squad.

Mrs Le Boutillier said: "We're her biggest supporters so we're standing firmly on the sidelines to cheer on team Jersey and Tilly."

She said the weather had been glorious and the opening ceremony was great.

Mr Le Boutillier said: "We were in the queue for two and a half hours trying to get in, because I think they were only letting around 3,000 people in, so we wanted to make sure we got a spot."

Doreen Manson performed at the Orkney Island Games opening ceremony with her exercise group

Doreen Manson performed at the opening ceremony with her exercise group to promote fitness for older people.

She has lived in Orkney her whole life and said the games had brought a great buzz to the place.

"It's just something that we've never seen before, and all the different athletes coming in from different countries, it's just great, I think, really exciting," she said.