Queen's Diamond Jubilee tour reaches Lancashire

The Queen, Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles took a trip on a barge in Burnley

The Queen, Duke of Edinburgh and Prince Charles visited Lancashire as part of the nationwide Diamond Jubilee tour.

The royal party were greeted by hundreds of well-wishers as they set off down the Leeds-Liverpool Canal on a barge in Burnley.

They arrived in the Weavers' Triangle area, which was regenerated by workers from the Prince's charities.

While there, they met young people and organisations which have worked with the charities in the town.

Six of the Prince of Wales's charities, including The Prince's Trust, have done extensive work in Burnley, in a bid to revitalise the former world centre of the cotton industry.

The Queen has not visited the town since 1987.

The royal party attended the start of the Prince's Charities Regeneration Summit, which is at the centre of the planned multi-million pound regeneration plans for the Weavers' Triangle.

Prince Charles said the work had huge potential and could be "the real making of the town".

It is hoped the £100m development for leisure, office and educational uses could create 1,000 private sector jobs after the local council acquired the listed buildings along the canal.

Addressing the summit, the Queen said: "I have been interested to learn today about the work undertaken by the Prince's Charities to transform lives and build sustainable communities.

"By joining forces with local groups here in Burnley they have helped to make a considerable difference to the town and its people."

The Queen and Prince Philip were then given a tour of Burnley College and its University of Central Lancashire campus before moving on to Burnley Football Club where they had lunch in the Jimmy McIlroy stand at Turf Moor.

Following lunch, the Queen unveiled a plaque commemorating her visit and then signed the visitors' book beneath a framed Burnley shirt from the 1914 FA Cup Final at Crystal Palace.

The shirt features the Royal crest commemorating the occasion of the Queen's grandfather, King George V, becoming the first reigning monarch to present the FA Cup following the Clarets' 1-0 victory over Liverpool.

Club chairman Barry Kilby described it as "a fantastic honour" to be offering the couple "the warmest of Lancashire welcomes at a club with a great tradition".

In Accrington the Queen was presented with a bouquet from 10-year-old Ellena Coglan

The Queen and the prince then departed for Accrington and a tour of the town's Market Hall to unveil a plaque to mark the visit.

'Momentous occasion'

The royal couple's trip to Accrington is Hyndburn's first royal visit since 1968.

Sean Foster, a trader in the town's Victorian market, said it was "a momentous occasion".

Mr Foster, who runs a furniture business, said: "It's got to be good for the town - a royal visit isn't something that happens every day."

The Queen then briefly met some of the waiting crowd before she attended a reception with civic leaders from Lancashire and Cumbria at Accrington Town Hall.

The royal couple appeared on the balcony to see The Gurkha Regimental Band play the National Anthem and a march-past of about 500 people from uniformed and voluntary organisations.

The Queen was presented with a hamper of Lancashire produce before leaving the county.

The Diamond Jubilee tour continues on Thursday with visits to Chester, Warrington and Liverpool.