GOSPORT was put well and truly on the map yesterday when the Princess Royal paid a visit to two of the town's top tourist attractions.

The Royal Navy Submarine Museum and Explosion! The Museum of Naval Firepower welcomed the princess for a guided tour around the attractions as part of a nationwide campaign to promote tourism in the UK.

The Princess Royal, escorted by former submariners, met conservation workers and viewed submarines at the Royal Navy museum before viewing an exhibition about the Wrens.

The princess was then greeted by schoolchildren waving flags who lined part of the route on her way to Explosion! where she was presented with three posies of flowers from St John's pupils Sade and Chantal Smith and Jessica Cullen, all aged ten.

She was then escorted on a tour of the museum by curator Chris Henry, who showed her the museum's gunpowder vault, big gun collection and torpedo gallery.

He said: "She was certainly already very knowledgeable about he subject and we covered a whole range of topics right from the mechanics of armaments to the moral aspects of war."

The princess was also introduced to former munitions workers at the Priddy's Hard site who now work at the museum as volunteers. Bill Mansfield, 69, said: "Four generations of my family have worked with the armaments here so it was wonderful to see the princess here.

"She is a very nice lady and certainly the visit has been good for the museum."

The princess also spent time chatting to schoolchildren using the education centre.

Sam Bache, 11, said: "I have never met anyone that famous before. She was a really nice lady."