THE leaders of Preston City Council have praised the Queen for her welcoming attitude toward the people of Lancashire as she visited the city.

Her Majesty made a special effort to meet and greet as many people as possible during her visit.

After the walkabout in Friargate and the Flag Market, the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh were treated to a reception in the Guild Hall hosted by the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire.

Among the guests, many of them chosen by members of the county's local councils, were the leader of Preston City Council, Councillor Ian Hall, and chief executive Jim Carr.

Both were dressed in their formal robes of office for the visit which saw Preston officially become a city when the Queen inspected the Letters Patent.

Also rubbing should with royalty were the county's mayors, MPs, many famous faces and celebrities, and many ordinary folk who were chosen simply because of the hard work they do for their local communities.

The Queen shook hands and met many of the guests, and came within a few feet of everyone else.

Mr Carr said: "The Queen seemed very relaxed and was chatting to people very freely in the crowd. We were surprised at how relaxed she was.

"We were chosen because of our location and also the fact that we had the Guild Hall. It was a great setting for a Lancashire event.

"The Queen had particularly asked to meet a lot of people -- Lancashire people -- and to be as close to those people as possible."

Coun Hall added: "It's all going extremely well. We are highly delighted with the way the visit has gone.

"The Queen's visit has been event that we should look back on with a great deal of pride. It's the crowning glory of the city status, to have the monarch come."

Mr Carr also praised all those who had worked so hard to make it such a splendid day. He said: "This visit has been a year in the planning, and over the last two months an awful lot of work has gone into it. The police, Lord Lieutenant's office, everybody has worked hard.

"And it's all come together very well."