Doc's riding school tour for 'grafter' Anne

THE Princess Royal has earned praise for her hard work while visiting several local organisations including a horse riding school and a boat building academy.

- Mathilde Grandjean reports

Anne toured a British Horse Society (BHS) club in Bovington on Monday accompanied by the organisation’s president, Doc Martin star Martin Clunes. The actor spoke of the club's endeavour to promote interactions with horses for people of all backgrounds, adding: “What this programme is doing over and over again is helping kids who have fallen through the net.”

Anne, who is vice-patron of the society, watched riding demonstrations before meeting students of the Royal Armoured Corps (RAC) Saddle Club including Olivia, who said it was “very special. She came up and said hello, I was very excited and nervous”.

Another student, Mia, who also took part in the demonstration, said: “I felt a mixture of everything when meeting her, it was exciting, and I was also nervous.”