A SENIOR officer from Barrow met a very special guest during an event in Manchester.

Rebecca Rawlings, senior officer at Women's Community Matters in Barrow was invited to to an event in Manchester with Claire Hensman, Lord Lieutenant Of Cumbria.

Rebecca was among five other guest in Cumbria invited by Claire Hensman to attend the event, unknowingly they would be meeting a very special person.

Overwhelmed after the event Rebecca said: "We were invited by the Lord Lieutenant who invited five people from Cumbria to attend an event with her in Manchester, it was the celebration of the 600th anniversary of Manchester cathedral and we were told there was perhaps going to be a royal guest.

"I didn’t know who I was going to see.

"I just got told I was just going to see a VVIP and when we got there it was The Queen.

"I was so shocked."

Rebecca was lucky enough to come face to face with Her Majesty, The Queen herself and was formally introduced to her.

She said: "We were all introduced to the queen individually which was very nice.

"She was lovely, very queen like still, as you would expect.

"It was a little bit overwhelming – you think 'oh I’ll be alright' but when it comes to it you don’t quite know what to say or where to look.

"We were all invited to talk a little bit about our organisations and I just told her about the centre and the charity.

"She was very lovely and said thank you for all you do."

"It was just a surreal day, I'm still in shock."

Women's Community Matters is a centre run by women, for women.

They offer a wide range of courses, support groups, activities and appointments in a safe space.

They aim to support women with anything they may need, including benefits, housing, domestic or sexual abuse, the police, courts, prison, mental wellbeing, employment, education and social activities.

Still overjoyed with her day Rebecca said: "We all got some honey to take home from the cathedral as it makes it's own honey.

"It was an good day all around."