Hundreds of people gathered in the bright sunshine at Caister's life boat station this morning to give a warm welcome to Prince Philip.The Duke of Edinburgh was given a tour of the independent life boat station to help celebrate its 40th anniversary.

Hundreds of people gathered in the bright sunshine at Caister's life boat station this morning to give a warm welcome to Prince Philip.

The Duke of Edinburgh was given a tour of the independent life boat station to help celebrate its 40th anniversary.

As well as being greeted by crew members and the mayor of Yarmouth Tony Smith, Prince Philip received a rapturous welcome from a horde of delighted school children from the region.

At the end of his tour Prince Philip unveiled a plaque commemorating the station's anniversary and his visit.

Paul Garrod, chairman of the Caister lifeboat station, said: 'People in the village were over the moon that Prince Philip took time out to visit the station.'

The first life boat operated from Caister in 1845 but the RNLI decided to close it down in 1969 - prompting the launch of the independent life saving service.