THE Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall were treated to the warmest of welcomes when they visited the region yesterday.

A small crowd of Royal watchers turned out to greet the couple as they arrived at Darlington Railway Station yesterday morning aboard the royal train.

But many hundreds more, many waving Union Jack flags and home-made banners, lined the road into Richmond, North Yorkshire.

Charles and Camilla were invited to Richmond to help the town celebrate the 850th anniversary of its first market charter.

It was the town's first Royal visit for more than a century.

After a tour of the Georgian Theatre Royal, the couple watched a short play by the youth theatre from the Royal box.

The play, the Legacy of Butler, was performed by six young actors aged between 15 and 17.

It featured the spirit of the theatre founder Samuel Butler, which from the stage urged the youngsters to keep the venue going.

The Prince unveiled a plaque commemorating the visit and made a speech to dignitaries and theatre volunteers.

He said: "I would like to express the joy of both my wife and myself to have this opportunity to come to Richmond to help celebrate the very important occasion of the 850th anniversary of the charter of this wonderful town.

"Apart from anything else, it is always wonderful to come to Yorkshire."

The Prince recounted his own acting days while studying at Trinity College, Cambridge.

Speaking about performing on stage in a small theatre, he said: "One of the nights, an entire party, two busloads of Japanese, came into the theatre and not one of them understood a single word."

The couple then toured the farmers' market, set up in the cobbled market square.

Hundreds of onlookers packed into the square to catch a glimpse of the pair. Office staff watched from windows and others climbed the church tower to get a view.

The Prince and Duchess spent time talking to stallholders and sampling produce.

Prince Charles asked game dealer Allan Ellis, of Rushyford Game, based in Shildon, County Durham, if he wanted any grey squirrels or muntjac deer from his estate.

Camilla took a leaflet from The Weardale Soup Company's stall for her son, food writer Tom Parker Bowles.

And reading that a non-alcoholic punch made by The Punch Brew Company, from Darlington, was good for flatulence, the Prince Charles joked: "How long does it take to work?"

Mandy Reed, from The Swaledale Cheese Company, said the Duchess had tried a sample of their blue cheese and said it was "delicious".

The couple ended their visit with afternoon tea and scones at Richmond's former railway station.

The pair were shown plans to transform the building into a business and leisure centre.

They also met young business people who had been helped by the Prince's Trust.

Richmond mayor Stuart Parsons said the visit had been a huge success.

He said: "The whole day was amazing. It was a fantastic seal of approval for what we have on offer and what we are trying to do here."