HER Royal Highness Princess Anne was visiting East Lancashire today.

The Princess Royal was to meet youngsters involved in the groundbreaking Youth Works project based at Burnley Wood Community Play Centre and speak at a conference at Turf Moor before heading for Blackburn Cathedral to take part in a rededication service for the newly refurbished Lantern Tower.

As President of the Patrons of Crime Concern, a national charity which set up Youth Works with Groundwork and Marks and Spencer, the Princess was to see how the project involves young people in improving their neighbourhood to divert them away from crime.

She was to hear how Burnley Youth Works, one of three similar schemes funded by a £500,000 National Lottery grant, has set ambitious targets to reduce crime as well as boosting the self-confidence of those involved whilst benefiting the community as a whole. The Princess was also to address a Crime Concern seminar at Turf Moor and meet young people involved in Youth Works projects in Darwen, Blackburn and Haslingden as well as Burnley Wood.

This afternoon the Princess was to move on to Blackburn Cathedral to meet fund raisers and contractors involved in the Lantern Tower Appeal and subsequent refurbishment project.

She was to be welcomed by the Mayor and Mayoress of Blackburn, Coun Salas Kiani and his wife Zohra, chief executive of Blackburn with Darwen Council Phil Watson and the Provost of Blackburn the Very Rev David Frayne.

The Bishop of Blackburn Rt Rev Alan Chesters, Canon Andrew Hindley and Canon David Galilee will also be presented to the Princess before she moves to Witton Park to leave by helicopter.

She was due to leave East Lancashire this afternoon in a helicopter from Blackburn's Witton Park.

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