Elderly residents at an almshouse welcomed a special visitor – Her Royal Highness Princess Anne.

The Princess came to the Cutbush and Corrall almshouses in College Road, Maidstone, on Friday, where she opened 12 new flats.

The 12 apartments had been converted from six of the original almshouses built on the site in 1922.

The Princess was accompanied by the Lord-Lieutenant of Kent, the Lady Colgrain, and escorted by clerk and chief officer of the Cutbush and Corrall Charity, Liz Abi-Aad.

Princess Anne visited residents in their homes and met residents, trustees, staff and contractors who had worked on the project..

The original almshouses were considered too costly to run and too difficult for individuals with reduced mobility to negotiate.

The new one-bedroom flats provide compact, high-quality, affordable accommodation.

Princess Anne presented long service awards to two staff members Caroline Highwood and Sue Darbyshire, and unveiled a plaque to commemorate the opening.

Gordon Littlewood has been a resident at College Road for 11 years. He said: “The Princess stayed around an hour and a half. She was very pleasant and talked to everyone.

“It was the first time I had met her. Everyone considered her visit a great honour.”

After leaving College Road, Princess Anne travelled on to the RBLI Centenary Village at Aylesford where she opened a new block of living accommodation especially for ex-servicemen.

The Cutbush and Corrall Charity was founded in 1865 by Thomas Cutbush.

Today it has 154 properties within the borough of Maidstone let to people who would otherwise struggle to find housing.

For more information, call 01622 765612.