'UP the Clarets!' were the last words uttered by Prince Andrew as he left Burnley after a memorable visit to Burnley College's hi-tech computer suite at Turf Moor.

Pensioner Ken Sanders who has supported Burnley FC for 50 years suddenly shouted from the crowd as the prince was leaving: "Just say it once, Up The Clarets!"

The prince had to ask an aide what he had been asked to say and duly repeated 'up the Clarets' before disappearing in his silver Bentley.

Royalist Ken said: "He made my day -- I'm glad he responded!"

Prince Andrew arrived to cheers from the crowd of children from the soccer school at 10.31pm.

And he was so interested in the Information Communication Technology Centre he ended up 15 minutes late in moving on to his next engagement in Lancaster.

Wearing a charcoal grey suit, pale blue shirt and yellow tie the prince seemed at home chatting to everyone, students of all ages, business people, college staff, members of the football club, councillors and dignitaries.

Eileen Heyworth is secretary of Burnley Disabled Information Service at Temple Street Resource Centre and is disabled through a genetic condition which affects her joints.

As a student of the centre the prince chatted to her about the course she joined in January which has helped her with her secretarial work.

She said: "Ooh he was lovely! He said to me I hope your Formula One wheelchair doesn't run over my feet!

"He seemed very interested and he was very nice. He wanted to know about why I use a small keyboard and wanted to know about the mouse I use. "It was a great honour for me. I really like the Royal family."

Gareth Morgan is blind and works at Burnley General Hospital as a radiographic helper. At weekends he also helps out with Hospital Radio in Burnley.

He said: "I was explaining to him about the computer and how Marion my wife and I had been doing the course since January.

"I explained to Prince Andrew that attending the course has helped me to remember my typing skills that I learned years ago and how it will benefit my work.

"I felt privileged to be invited to come here for the Royal visit, it was a great honour."

After touring the ICT suite he met business representatives in the Cafe Claret where he chatted relaxed and informally not seeming to notice that he had already stayed longer that his expected hour.

Children from local primary schools presented him with a Burnley FC shirt with HRH on, an autographed Burnley Football and Adrianna Braid, 11, of Lowerhouse Junior School presented him with a CD ROM on soccer skills.

She had earlier met him in the ICT centre when he told her well done on scoring 75 out of 75 on the soccer skills CD.

She said: "He said he would pass the CD on to his daughters."

Chairman of Governors County Coun Shelagh Derwent accompanied the prince throughout his visit and said: "It was really excellent. The prince was just wonderful with the students he took time to speak to them all and he was absolutely at home.

"A lot of people find it very difficult to come through the doors of a college but this is a different relaxed environment and he mirrored that.

"He ran out of time in the centre and I didn't think he would have time to speak to the guests in the Cafe Claret but he went round everybody and stopped to chat."

Manager of the ICT Centre Danny Braid said: "He seemed to be so genuine and was asking relevant questions and is obviously very interested and knowledgeable about computers."