PRINCE Edward was warmly welcomed by the people of Macclesfield during a whistlestop tour today (Friday, June 20).

The Earl of Wessex - and seventh in line to the throne - was greeted by the borough's mayor, Thelma Jackson, on the steps of the town hall, having arrived by helicopter a few hours earlier.

During his tour, the father-of-two also toured two new state-of-the-art wards at Macclesfield Hospital - speaking to several patients and members of staff - and officially opened the town's £38m new Learning Zone.

For full story of the visit and more pictures, see next week's Macclesfield Express