ONE of the many endearing qualities of Princess Margaret was her ability to appear down-to-earth and in touch with the common man.

Despite her exalted position in the royal family, she displayed a humility which induced people to take her to their hearts.

No more was this in evidence than when she visited East Lancashire on an unseasonably warm October day in 1965.

The Princess visited Blackburn Cathedral to attend the rehallowing of the restored nave by the Archbishop of York, Dr Donald Coggan.

As with any royal visit, the anticipation among the crowds of well-wishers was enormous and huge numbers of people lined the streets.

But the whole visit was threatened when dense fog descended on London, from where the Princess's plane was taking off.

Tense conversations with airport control in London took place and when it was established that Princess Margaret would definitely not be at the cathedral in time for the service -- if able to make it at all -- she ordered it go ahead without her.

The wish was heeded, but not without careful consideration, and as the Provost of Blackburn, the Very Rev Norman Robinson announced to the the cathedral at the time: "We are doing so because we know that she does not like to cause upheaval in people's arrangements."

When Princess Margaret did arrive -- an hour and half late -- she was greeted with roars from the crowd, many of whom were children.

Wearing a black straw Breton-style hat with velvet trimming and a flame-coloured coat, she was met by Lord Derby, the Lord Lieutenant of Lancashire, and a host of church officials.

Golden beams of October sunshine poured through the windows onto her and the congregation as she was escorted into the cathedral.

Although the service had already started, the princess and her lady-in-waiting joined the ceremony with little fuss, although all eyes were focused on the royal visitor as she made her way to her seat on the left of the altar.

Several hundred people, including a parade of Sea Cadets, waited for the princess to arrive at the Public Halls, where she arrived at 1.25pm.

Again loud cheers met the princess and she was presented to the civic leaders.

Onlookers described the thrill of meeting the princess; for some the excitement was so great that it became too much.

As the heat of the crowd rose, many of them began to faint, due mainly to the length of time the hardy folk of East Lancashire had waited.

As one child after another fainted, onlookers reported that the lawns around the cathedral began to resemble a casualty clearing station, with bodies sprawled out on the grass.

An ambulance spokesman said at the time: "Most of the children have been here since about nine o'clock.

"A lot have come without having a breakfast and that, combined with the hot sun and the excitement, is causing them to feel faint."

Testament perhaps to the feelings of awe she aroused in her public.