PRINCESS Anne planted an oak tree in the Ribble Valley yesterday to commemorate the borough’s fallen soldiers.

The Princess Royal attended the historic private school, Stonyhurst College, to chat to cadets as they planted a total of 301 oak saplings as part of the Woodland Trust’s First World War Centenary Woods project, of which she is a patron.

The princess, 11th in line to the throne, arrived at the college in a private helicopter dressed in a grey jacket and skirt, a blue scarf, boots, and gloves.

Each tree planted represented a serviceman who died in the Great War and other conflicts. Almost 285 of them attended the college, while 18 were from nearby Hurst Green.

Addressing the crowd, which included vice lord-lieutenant of Lancashire, Colonel Alan Jolley, the contingent commander of Stonyhurst Combined Cadet Force (CCF), Lt Col Andrew Barber, and Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans, the Princess said: “Stonyhurst is the perfect place for this commemorative tree planting, with its long history and understanding of service, and I am so pleased it is supporting the Woodland Trust. Headmaster Andrew Johnson said: “It has been a tremendous day for Stonyhurst, the CCF, and the Woodland Trust.

“We were delighted to be able to welcome the Princess Royal to the college. The staff, cadets, and pupils very much enjoyed meeting her.”

After planting a tree, Princess Anne met with pupils and staff at the historic college, including head boy and girl Victor Keunen and Olivia Haworth.

She was given a tour of the college, which dates back to 1593, and was shown two Victoria Cross medals awarded to former students in the First World War.

Later, in a reception in the Top Refectory, head boy Victor Keunen presented the Princess with a painting of the college.Princess Anne is the second child and only daughter of the Queen and her husband, Prince Philip.

She is the patron of more than 200 organisations, and carries out hundreds of royal engagements every year.