MIDDLEWICH is to play host to its first royal visitor in more than 50 years - as Princess Anne comes to the town.

The Princess Royal will be in Middlewich on Friday, February 16, to give the royal seal of approval to the new ERF Truck Assembly Hall.

The company moved to Middlewich earlier this year turning the town into the truck-making capital of the north west and Princess Anne's visit will mark the official opening.

But officials at ERF were remaining tight-lipped as to the exact details of the visit and could not reveal the day's agenda.

A company spokesman said: "Subject to confirmation of the final details, which we don't believe will present any problems, the Princess Royal's office has confirmed that she will officially open the new assembly hall."

It will be the first time a member of the Royal Family has come to Middlewich since the present Queen Mother and George VI visited as part of a post-war tour of the country in 1946.

Princess Anne, who is famed for her work as president of Save the Children, will travel to Warrington later in the day to visit the Jonathan Ball Young People's Centre.