Bristol charity fundraiser attends King Charles' garden party

Gary Nott attended the garden party at Buckingham Palace with his daughter Paris

A children's charity fundraiser said attending the Coronation Garden Party hosted by King Charles was "really special".

Gary Nott was invited after raising £42,000 for The Grand Appeal - the Bristol Children's Hospital charity.

The 59-year-old raises money by leading tours of the University of Bristol's Wills Memorial Building.

"Being escorted into Buckingham Palace with all the police and limos, we felt like royalty ourselves," he said.

Alongside his regular job as senior estates assistant at the university, Mr Nott has been leading tours every Saturday for 22 years, with all profits going to The Grand Appeal.

He climbs 345 steps to the top of the tower on every tour, and sometimes does up to four of them each Saturday.

Mr Nott, centre, said attending the party had been "really special"

Mr Nott was among 500 volunteers invited to the event to thank them for their selfless work.

"It was really special. We got to shake Camilla's hand and saw Lionel Richie.

"There were loads of people in top hats and military uniform, and we spoke to lots of people who were invited there because they'd done good stuff," he said.

Despite leading the tours for more than 20 years, Mr Nott has no intention of putting his feet up.

"My favourite bit is telling everyone about the history of the university," he said.

"Telling people that we were the first UK higher education institution to admit women on an equal basis to men usually gets a cheer, and people like hearing about the famous people who have studied here," added Mr Nott.

Mr Nott has raised £42,000 for The Grand Appeal

Prof Evelyn Welch, the University of Bristol's vice-chancellor, said Mr Nott was well-known for his warm nature and extensive knowledge.

"His charity fundraising is nothing short of heroic - and we're hugely proud that he was able to attend such a special event at Buckingham Palace," she said.

The Grand Appeal said his fundraising efforts had made a huge difference.

Community fundraising manager, Kate Jones said: "Gary's commitment to raising money for critically ill babies and children treated at Bristol Children's Hospital is not only inspiring, but life-changing for the patients there."