BARROW is gearing up for a royal visitor today.

HRH Prince Edward, The Earl of Wessex, is making a whistle-stop tour of the town with visits to BAE, St Mary's Hospice, South Walney Nature Reserve and Morecambe Bay Oysters.

Cumbria Wildlife Trust is looking forward to welcoming the royal to the charity’s popular nature reserve.

The Earl will visit the new visitor centre at the nature reserve and will be accompanied by Claire Hensman, the Lord-Lieutenant for Cumbria.

He will meet children from South Walney Infants School who will be taking part in wildlife-related activities.

The new visitor centre was funded by Orsted to turn existing underused office space into a welcoming and friendly visitor centre.