A RIDING group was graced with a visit from royalty yesterday when Princess Anne stopped off in the district.

Throstle Nest Riding for the Disabled Group was delighted to welcome the Princess Royal to its base and revamped indoor riding area at Wilsden Equestrian Centre, at Laneside in the village.

The group relocated to its new home from its former Fagley Lane base in Eccleshill last year after the site was earmarked for housing.

It was a return visit for the princess, a president of the national Riding for the Disabled Association, who inaugurated Throstle Nest Riding School’s indoor area back in 2012.

When the Throstle Nest group moved to the centre, it received £70,000 from the Fagley Lane landlord and sponsors, including the Marshall family, Wilsden Parish Council and Sovereign Healthcare, which was then boosted to more than £100,000 by fundraisers to allow improvements to be made.

The group took the arena down at the Fagley site, before rebuilding it in Wilsden and revamping it, with improvements including making the area brighter and lighter, putting down a new surface and creating an improved classroom.

The princess reopened the arena area and took in the new facilities, before presenting rosettes to riders and volunteers, plus long-service awards to some of the ponies.

Group founder Jeanette Wheeler said: “It went really well.

“She took the time to speak to absolutely everybody.

“It’s good to get the backing of other people.

“We know what we do, but it’s good to get the word out to other people what we are doing.”

She said volunteers and riders had described Princess Anne as “fantastic” and had been impressed by her knowledge and how animated she had been on the visit.

However, Mrs Wheeler said the day was also tinged with sadness due to the recent death of a much-loved member of the Throstle Nest team.

Treasurer Sally Hobson died of motor neurone disease and Mrs Wheeler said she was “sadly missed” at the visit.

“It was a little bit sad,” she said. “But she would be pleased to think how it had gone.

“She would be pleased to know that we are carrying on.”

Mrs Wheeler thanked the volunteers and said the move had gone well, with rider and volunteer numbers up and the majority of riders making the move from Fagley to the new base at Wilsden.

“Everything is really, really positive,” she said.