The young daughter of murdered policewoman Sharon Beshenivsky presented the Queen with a bouquet of flowers during the final leg of her visit to Bradford.

And a jovial Duke of Edinburgh put a slightly nervous five-year-old Lydia Beshenivsky at ease by asking her if she had picked the flowers from the civic garden.

In a poignant end to her visit, the Queen commented that the colour of the flowers she was given matched her outfit as she accepted the bouquet from Lydia, who turned four the day her mother was shot dead in the line of duty.

Hundreds of people turned out in Centenary Square and cheered as the Queen emerged from the black Royal limousine. They were greeted by Council officials, including chief executive Tony Reeves, and Jane Glaister, director of culture and tourism.

Amid more enthusiastic applause from the crowd, some of whom had been waiting for three hours, the Royal couple were led on to a temporary stage in the middle of the packed square.

The newly-installed Lord Mayor, Councillor Robin Owens, gave a welcoming speech before showing the Queen three information panels containing details of Bradford's regeneration, including major schemes such as the Park at the Heart, the Broadway shopping developing and the Channel project.

Bradford Schools Choir sang during the visit after Queensbury's world-famous Black Dyke Band had warmed up the crowd with a repertoire of patriotic classics, including Rule Britannia.

Paul Beshenivsky, PC Beshenivsky's husband, said: "It has been a superb day for my children and it's something they will never forget. I am a very proud man."

Mr Beshenivsky, who admitted to being nervous before the occasion, said it had been "fabulous" to meet the Royal couple, but added that he wished it had been in happier circumstances.

The 44-year-old said his daughter Lydia, dressed in a mint green dress, and her eight-year-old brother Paul, dressed in a light suit, had talked to the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh for a couple of minutes.

The Royal visitors enjoyed a ten-minute walk-about in Centenary Square, chatted with excited members of the public and were presented with flowers. At one stage, the Queen was drawn towards a group of three elderly women who were all dressed in Union Jack hats and scarves and waving flags.

One of them, Veronica Quantrill, 76, of Woodside, Bradford, said: "It has been absolutely fantastic. I am 100 per cent royalist and it was great to see them so close up."

Her friend Doreen Luciw, 77, said: "She came and talked to us and asked us where we were from. We are over the moon."

Margaret Spencer, 79, of Odsal, said: "We think the whole day has been wonderful. She really is our gracious Queen. We have seen her many times before and it's always fantastic."

Meanwhile, the Duke walked slightly behind the Queen and stopped frequently to laugh and joke with the crowd.

Keith Berry, of Great Horton, said: "I shouted I'm pleased to meet you' and they both waved and smiled."

Detective Constable Cate Jackson, family liaison officer for the bereaved Beshenivsky family, said: "I went down to London last week to pick up my police medal from the Queen and, when she saw me today, she said I have seen you before - I presented you with that medal.' It's amazing that she remembered.

"She shouted Philip over to talk to me. I told him today was my last day in the force after 30 years and he said So you have just hung on long enough to get the medal.' They were very natural and Philip was very amusing."

Det Con Jackson said Lydia was a typical five-year-old and added: "She did appreciate the significance of it.

"The Queen said she loved the flowers and that they matched her outfit. Philip asked if she had picked them herself from the civic garden."

The festivities in Centenary Square got under way at 10am with a first ever public performance by 70 children from the newly-formed Bradford Schools Choir, who got proceedings underway with a rendition of Yellow Submarine.

Karen Heggs, of Greengates, said: "My eight-year-old daughter Sophie sings in the choir and she had been very excited all morning. She really enjoyed it."

Mrs Heggs' son, Daniel, aged six, said the day had been "really exciting."

The choir's performance met with approval from the crowd, including Claire Robertshaw, 18, of Tyersal, who said: "I think they are cute and you wouldn't know it was their first performance because they don't look nervous."

Other performances included 22 members of the West Yorkshire Fire and Rescue Service wind band joined by six musicians from the RAF band based at Bury St Edmunds.

As the arrival of the Queen drew closer, Bradford designer Linda Barker, the celebrity supporter of Bradford's regeneration plans, was handed the microphone.

She told onlookers that the Queen's visit also marked the official send-off for Bradford's £24.5m lottery bid for a stunning Park at the Heart.

So far, about 27,000 people have signed a document backing the plan and Mrs Barker told the crowd: "If you're here today and you haven't signed the bid, then you can do so now. There's no excuse not to because Bradford deserves some investment, just like they have enjoyed in Leeds, Nottingham and Manchester."

e-mail: will.kilner@bradford.newsquest.co.uk ends