ROYALTY visited York and Tadcaster to show their support for fundraisers and businesses.

The Duke of York, Prince Andrew, toured businesses affected by flooding in Tadcaster 14 months on from his first visit when the town had recently been split in two.

The bridge over the River Wharfe links the east and west side of the town and partially collapsed on December 30 2015, leaving businesses struggling and some children unable to get to school.

Workmen took more than a year to re-build the bridge and the Duke toured the town and spoke to traders he had originally met in the weeks after they were hit by floods.

Zoe Devine, of Devine Meats, a butchers in Bridge Street, said the Duke had asked questions about their interest in the business and how it was recovering since the floods.

“It’s so lovely he came to see us all,” she said.

“When he came the first time we were all still shell-shocked and it was very raw, but now we are buoyant.” After Tadcaster, the Duke headed east to York to attend a service celebrating the 50th anniversary of the York Minster Fund. He delivered a reading at the Evensong service, to marks 50 years since the fund was set up to raise money to stop the cathedral’s Central Tower from collapsing.

Meanwhile, Princess Anne presented the Firmin Sword of Peace to the 2nd Signal Regiment yesterday during the first Royal visit to Imphal Barracks since the Government announced it is to close in 2031.

The sword, presented annually to the military unit or ship which has made the most valuable contribution to humanitarian causes, was received by Corporal Prembahadur Gurung of 246 Gurkha Signal Squadron. In 2015 the 2 Signal Regiment was involved in operations all over the world including Sierra Leone, Nepal and the Falkland Islands and raised nearly £160,000 for charity.