FIVE decades of handing out advice to more than half a million people was marked by a visit from HRH the Princess Royal yesterday.

Southampton's Citizen's Advice Bureau celebrated its 50th anniversary in style as Citizen's Advice Service patron the Princess Royal flew in by helicopter.

Wearing a three-quarter-length grey coat and knee-high black boots, she met city CAB chairman Anthony Rees and Southampton mayor Dennis Harryman before heading into the building in Kings Park Road.

More than 25 volunteers and 17 staff waited their turn to meet the princess as she took a tour of the offices.

Law student and volunteer Ricky Bhakar, from Bitterne, said: "She asked me how long I had been here and when I started. I've never met royalty before, so I was quite nervous."

Newtown resident and volunteer Rajinder Singh added: "The visit was excellent for the CAB. It shows that our work is appreciated."

Before unveiling a plaque to mark her visit and 50 years of the CAB in Southampton, the princess told the staff and volunteers: "This is one of the oldest bureaux in the country.

"The continuity of advice and the way it's adapted to the changes has set a very fine example to a number of other centres.

"I hope that raising the profile of your activities will also bring in more volunteers. It's probably fair to say that no bureau ever has quite enough volunteers."

The centre deals with 16,000 calls a year, ranging from people facing debt and benefit problems to tackling workplaces that are poor at paying their employees.