A ROYAL visit to the Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB) was something special as the Princess Royal addressed the association's national conference in York.

Princess Anne addressed more than 1,200 delegates from all over the country at York University yesterday afternoon.

She was opening the annual three-day national conference.

"She is patron of the Citizens Advice Bureau, so we are often lucky enough to have a visit from her. She does a lot of good work for the association," said a CAB spokeswoman.

"She was very warmly received by all our delegates.

"She spoke about visits to bureaux she has made during the year, the interesting experiences she has had with us.

"She was also kind enough to present our Volunteer of the Year awards," said the spokeswoman.

The Princess has visited three of the last six conferences held by the association at the university. "We are very honoured to have her here, she set the tone for the whole of the three days and packed programme of events and speakers we have coming," said the spokeswoman. It is the one chance bureau workers really have to get together and share ideas and motivation and have a really positive experience, and has already been made very special," she said.

Updated: 11:34 Wednesday, September 24, 2003