HIS Royal Highness The Prince of Wales received a warm Cumbrian welcome as he returned to the region on Monday for a series of visits as president of the Business in the Community scheme.

Crisp temperatures and clear skies greeted Prince Charles as he stepped off the Royal Train at Penrith Station to meet around 70 pupils from Ullswater Community College.

The heir to the throne first headed for the village of Hesket Newmarket and The Old Crown public house.

Prince Charles enjoyed a pint while he noted the progress made by the only co-operative-owned pub in the country in becoming a hub for the community - with a cash-back service and library.

HRH then set toured the village's microbrewery, also owned and run by a community co-operative, as well as talking to another group that is hoping to take over the post office and village shop.

The royal party, who met up with Lord Leiutenant of Cumbria, James Cropper, along with his wife Susan, travelled on to Booths Supermarket in Keswick to view the store's policy on sourcing local food, before attending a meeting on how an affordable housing scheme has worked in Rosthwaite, in the Borrowdale Valley.

The trip represents another Cumbrian engagement for the Prince of Wales who has been a regular visitor to the county - both for formal and informal engagements - over recent years.