PRINCESS Anne proved to be a popular visitor when she opened the new Wharfedale Hospital yesterday.

During her visit she was given a guided tour of some of the facilities, including wards, day surgery and the physiotherapy department.

And she took the time to laugh and joke with elderly out-patients who had demonstrated their daily tai chi class to her.

One of them, the aptly named Mrs Irene Buckingham, 84, of Tranmere Park, said: "I thought it was very nice of her to take an interest and pass remarks. I think she spoke to everyone."

Eighty-year-old Joyce Skelton, from Otley, pronounced the princess "very pleasant and easy to talk to."

She added: "I am very glad we have got this hospital in Otley, I do come up here a lot and I think it is very good."

The Princess herself praised the facilities on offer at the new hospital in a brief speech before the unveiling of the commemorative plaque.

She said: "May I add my congratulations to everybody involved in the successful completion and maintenance of the hospital here. It is no mean achievement, and it is a pleasure to be asked to come and see it."

She added: "I know the service that was offered before at the old building was every bit as good."

But she stressed that in her opinion the facilities offered at the new building would make a big difference to the people working in it.

She expressed every hope that the building would fulfill the ambitions they held for it.

Hospital Trust chairman Neil McKay said : "This is a tremendous honour for the Trust and a recognition of our commitment to providing first class health care facilities for the people of Wharfedale.

"I am delighted the princess has agreed to take time out of her busy schedule to see the new facilities, speak to staff and patients and see first hand some of the excellent work we do."

Among those invited was Frank Dobson, the former health secretary who worked hard to make the dream of a new hospital a reality.

He said: "It is good for patients and it is even better for staff because staff spend a lot more time in the hospital.

"If you have got new equipment it all works -- it doesn't go on the blink. So patients are getting a much better deal and the staff feel so much happier."

Leeds North West MP Harold Best said: "It is wonderful news for the people of Otley and the surrounding communities. This is a fantastic facility."

Pudsey MP Paul Truswell described it as a great day. He added: "It is the culmination of many years of campaigning and the challenge now is to ensure that we make the best possible use of this major new facility."