A ROYAL visitor in 2002 enjoyed a games of pool and went home with a £20 Furness work of art.

The Mail, on Wednesday, May 15, noted: "Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Gloucester was greeted by hundreds of pupils from St Paul's Junior School as she arrived at the Croft Care Trust in Hawcoat Lane, Barrow.

"The residents of the disabled people's village had been preparing for the visit, landscaping the gardens and decorating the centre.

"They were delighted to meet the duchess yesterday."

Croft Chairman Dennis Rose said: "She was really lovely.

"She got on so well with all the residents.

"One of the lads in the village does painting by numbers and he wanted to give a painting to the duchess so she gave him £20 for it.

"She was a very nice, relaxed person. It was a perfect visit and I would like to think she'd visit us again."

The duchess was introduced to the two remaining founders of  the Croft, Mr Rose, 80, and Kathleen Jones, 86.

Birgitte, Duchess of Gloucester, was born in June 1946, and is the wife of Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, a first cousin of Queen Elizabeth.

Croft Trust started in a tin hut in 1955 and by 2002 had developed into a residential village with 50 staff and 46 residents.

Mr Rose, died in July 2006, aged 83, and had been a driving force behind the development of the village with his wife Teresa.

The Barrow concept of having people with physical and learning disabilities living in a more informal village setting was a British first.

It cost £850,000 to build four separate six-bedroomed bungalows in the grounds to give a greater feeling of independent living.

Croft village was provided with a kiosk selling sweets, crisps and soft drinks and had a communal snooker room and TV lounge.

There was a huge fundraising effort by Furness groups and individuals behind the development at the Croft and volunteers continue to play a major role in its work.

You can find out more on the Croft Care Trust facebook site.