THE Duke of Edinburgh has made a personal visit to a carriage driving centre on the Blackdown Hills.

Prince Philip showed plenty of interest in the work of Mark Broadbent and his team at Fenix Carriages during his tour of the workshops.

The duke was among a group of Liverymen from the Worshipful Company of Coachmakers on the recent tour.

The prince, who drafted the rules of the sport in the early 1970s, took a great interest in all the carriages and the skilled work of the team.

He and his colleagues also toured the Coach House, which houses one of the largest collections of historic vehicles in the UK, including a former state coach owned by King George IV, a carriage which carried Prince Albert from London to Manchester and the original Quicksilver Royal Mail coach.

Mr Broadbent said: "I have been privileged to compete with the Duke of Edinburgh over the years.

"We had a wonderful tour of the workshops and carriage collection. Prince Phillip was very complimentary of those he met and all he saw. It was a great honour to welcome him to Fenix”