THE Princess Royal officially marked the tenth anniversary of one of the country's leading centres for teaching disabled youngsters on Tuesday.

At a special event to celebrate the milestone, students and volunteers demonstrated how the Riding for the Disabled Association's Unicorn Centre at Hemlington, Middlesbrough, operated.

Princess Anne unveiled a new pedestrian gate at the centre, of which she is a patron, before watching riding demonstrations by students and seeing the hard work carried out by the volunteers.

The Unicorn Centre opened its doors for the first time on April 20, 1998, following a seven-year campaign. Princess Anne officially opened the centre on November 17 that year.

The centre was the brainchild of Jose Kelly, who died shortly before it opened. She allowed the Great Ayton and District Riding for the Disabled Association group to use her land and stables.

When she was told the hugely popular lessons had to be stopped owing to the weather, she suggested a campaign to build an indoor centre.

Princess Anne chatted with committee members and presented rosettes to the students and volunteers during her two-hour visit. As she cut the ribbon on the new gate, she said it was a "nice celebration".

Julie Elphee, chairman of the Unicorn Centre, said: "Our most valuable asset is our volunteers. This is our way of saying thank you for all their support in the previous ten years. They have allowed us to fulfil a dream."

Princess Anne also visited the newly-refurbished North-East Chamber of Commerce at Commerce House, Middlesbrough.

She officially opened the £1.4m regeneration of the Tees Valley headquarters.