THE Duke of Edinburgh paid a visit to one of the region's tourist attraction yesterday to unveil an exhibition dedicated to Second World War "human torpedoes".

Prince Philip was at Eden Camp, near Malton, North Yorkshire, the former Second World War prisoner of war camp, to unveil a new exhibition dedicated to frogmen who risked their lives as "charioteers".

The divers would sit astride 600lb high-explosive warheads and steer the submarine-like device into enemy harbours before making their escape.

While at the museum, the duke met Italian naval officers, war veterans from across Europe, and veterans from the Escape Lines Memorial Society, which included RAF escapees, Army escapees and people who ran safe houses and escape lines across Europe.

Prince Philip admitted that he had had a close run in with the Italian "maiali" - charioteers - in 1941. He had been a sub-lieutenant on board HMS Valiant, but shortly after he had left for another ship, the Italians successfully bombed the Valiant's Mediterranean harbour.

He said: "It's quite interesting, but I left HMS Valiant just about two months before these chaps got at her."

The duke chatted to war veterans and staff for more than an hour as he looked around the museum.