NURSES and patients welcomed a royal visitor to Oxford today as part of celebrations to mark the completion of a £42m hospital block.

The Duchess of Cornwall was given a 90-minute tour around the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre, in Windmill Road, Headington.

The Duchess also laid the foundation stone for the second phase of a clinical research centre.

Lousie Morgan, a ward sister at the hospital, managed to speak to the Duchess as she introduced her to other staff. She said: "She was very warm and interested. She was very chatty and asked the nurses how long they had worked there and what they did."

Her Royal Highness has visited the hospital twice before and is the patron of the hospital and the NOC Appeal.

Today was her first glimpse of new facilities including a specialist bone infection unit, an out-patient area, operating theatres, a day surgery and hydrotherapy pool.

Ms Morgan said: "The Duchess explained how important it was for the patients to have nice surroundings."

The Duchess unveiled a new plaque commemorating the completion of nearly five years of building work.

Ms Morgan said: "While she was down on the podium, instead of standing on ceremony, she looked up to the balcony where all the nurses were standing and gave them a wave. We all warmed to her then."

The Duchess wore a smart blue two-piece suit with a pearl choker for the visit.

As part of the tour she watched a physiotherapy session in the hospital's new gym and popped into a children's ward.

The foundation stone she laid is for the second phase of the Botnar Research Centre - a joint initiative between the hospital and Oxford University, researching muscular-skeletal diseases.

Jan Fowler, the chief executive of the NOC, said: "The Duchess was delightful. She was really open and friendly and very easy for staff and patients to talk to. It's been a huge morale boost for the staff."

Today's visit was the Duchess' second trip to Oxford in less than a week.

Last Thursday she visited Helen and Douglas House hospices in East Oxford for the 25th anniversary of the charity.

The Duchess is also a Royal Patron of the charity, which cares for terminally-ill children and young adults.