CHILDREN and staff at a Kesgrave school were given a right royal treat today as the Duchess of Gloucester arrived to official open Cedarwood Primary, although she was 15 minutes late due to a late running train.

By Jessica Nicholls

CHILDREN and staff at a Kesgrave school were given a right royal treat today as the Duchess of Gloucester arrived to official open Cedarwood Primary, although she was 15 minutes late due to a late running train.

The youngsters waited patiently ready to meet their royal visitor, on her arrival she was given a bouquet and a posy by the youngsters before being introduced to staff and architects of the £2.5million environmentally friendly school.

Arrangements for the Duchess' arrival have been frantically made since Christmas and all the children were due to meet her during her visit.

Lots of things were planned to mark her arrival, including the Duchess being invited to make a clay handprint of her hand which will be displayed along with the imprints of all the children who started at the school when it opened on September 5 last year.

She was also due to open the official website of the school by being the first to sign the visitors' book on the web page.

Chief executive of BTExact Technologies, Stuart Davies, was also there to meet the Duchess as it is the sponsor of the website.

She was also met by Kesgrave Town Council chairman Don Whinney and headteacher Doug Stroud.

The youngsters were also getting their voices in tune ready to sing various songs and hymns to the Duchess during her visit.

Cedarwood hit the headlines last year as an environmentally friendly school, with a green roof covered in a sedum blanket which is similar to grass. The low maintenance roof insulates the school in winter but keeps it cool in summer as well as attracting many types of birds, butterflies and insects.

The school caters for 210 pupils between five and 11 and has seven classrooms. Mr Stroud said today: "We are very excited, all the children are going to meet her so they have all been very excited. It's going to be a

really special time for them." Staff at the school were busy keeping the children calm while they

waited for the Duchess to turn up.

After visiting the school, the Duchess was heading to Felixstowe to officially open the redeveloped Margery Girling House.