HER Royal Highness The Duchess of Cornwall was greeted with singing, line dancing and yoga as she visited the Clockhouse project in Greater Leys.

Members of project, which is run by the Leys Community Development Initiative in Oxford, greeted The Duchess yesterday and displayed a range of their activities.

The members, all aged over 50, also presented The Duchess with a bouquet of flowers before she said ‘goodbye everyone’ as she departed from her final stop in Oxford.

Dawn Williams, who led the Royal family member around the centre and introduced her to the different groups, said it was a ‘pleasure’ to meet her.

The development manager added: “I’m glad Her Royal Highness liked everything that we showed her. It’s amazing to showcase what the Clockhouse and CDI does.”

Ms Williams said the Duchess was ‘absolutely lovely’.

She added: “It was just super for her to take the time to do that and speak to people. It means a lot to them, who would have thought that we would have been picked for her to come and visit? They are honoured she came.”

Members invited to The Clockhouse, in Long Ground, had no idea of The Duchess’ arrival until minutes before, having just received an invitation to the ‘visit of a VIP’.

Greeted by Her Honour Ann Campbell DL, Ms Williams, CDI trustee David Truesdale and Penny Thewlis, The Duchess was introduced to the staff and volunteers before meeting members of the craft club. She praised the knitting of Jean Harwood, of Balfour Road, Blackbird Leys, who later said she was very surprised by her visit.

The 82-year-old grandmother added: “She was very polite and nice. I’m overwhelmed by it, in all my 82 years I have never met Royalty.”

The Duchess then spoke to volunteers Gerry Webb and Adrian Turner before meeting members of the yoga club and then walking out into the garden to the sounds of the Singing for Fun choir.

Mr Webb, 72, who was told last May he had cancer in nine places, of some which are terminal, told The Duchess about his volunteering for the project. Speaking to Mr Turner and Mr Webb, The Duchess said: “Thank goodness for volunteers. What would we do without them? The whole country would collapse.”

Members of the choir Daphne Harris, 76, Angela Thomas, 76, and Gloria Shields, 80, spoke of how soft the skin of The Duchess’ hand felt.

From there The Duchess watched line dancers perform, before having a cup of tea and being presented with flowers by Reg Curnock, who turns 81 today. The Brambling Way resident said: “She said thank you for the flowers and I talked to her a bit about the gardening club.

“I’m in the garden every day.

“It keeps me fit and healthy.”