A sailing club's groundbreaking work with disabled youngsters was given the Royal seal of approval yesterday.

Princess Anne flew in to help Otley Sailing Club officially launch the latest addition to its fleet of specialist dinghies for people with disabilities.

Dressed in a dark green jacket and skirt, the Princess Royal was given a warm welcome by VIP guests and young sailors from John Smeaton Community High School in Leeds and Bradford College as she arrived.

After meeting a welcoming committee that included club treasurer Norman Stephens, town mayor Councillor Norman Harrison and Sir Jimmy Saville, she chatted at length with students and club members.

The Princess splashed champagne on the bow of the new £4,200 dinghy, the SD Princess, before it was launched into Weston Water and later unveiled a plaque in the clubhouse to commemorate the event.

Mr Stephens said he talked to the Princess about the club's Sail Free programme which helps disabled youngsters on to the water Because she is Patron of Royal Yachting Association's Sailability programme, which also helps with access to sailing, she wanted to see how Otley's scheme worked.

Mr Stephens said: "She said Sail Free was a brilliant concept and that it was a pity more schools didn't use it because of health and safety fears. And she was hoping that the publicity from what we've done today would encourage a lot more people to do something similar."

Using boats that cannot tip over along with hoists and a patrolling safety boat', the Sail Free programme allows people with physical or learning disabilities to experience a rare feeling of independence on the water.

Life member Sir Jimmy Saville said: "This was one of the greatest days the club has ever had and to see everybody so happy and proud makes a great day for all of us.

"For the Princess Royal to come up here, a great place with great people, is an honour. She's a great person and as soon as she realised what they do here there was no hesitation in her saying she'd come.

"There's not many places where they can put a severely disabled child from a wheelchair into a sail boat - it's often the only time they can feel completely independent."

Leeds North West MP Greg Mulholland said: "Everybody involved can be really proud of what they've achieved and it's a fitting tribute to their work to have the Princess Royal visiting."