CHEERING crowds greeted the  Queen and Prince Philip as they  made their first visit to the city  in eight years.

 The royal couple arrived in  Exeter by royal train and Her  Majesty acknowledged the Exeter City Cap and Sword of  Maintenance, which was given  to the city 500 years ago.

They then visited the  headquarters of the St Loye’s  Foundation, a charity that offers training and employment  opportunities for disabled  people.

 A crowd of excited onlookers  gathered outside the charity’s  headquarters in New North  Road to see the couple arrive  and leave by car.

 There was an excited hush as  the Queen, who was wearing a  purple coat and hat — one of St  Loye’s principal colours — with  black shoes and pearl earrings,  entered the offices with the  Duke of Edinburgh.

 During her first visit to the  charity since 1998, when she  went to its previous headquarters, she toured the offices,  meeting staff and trainees of the  charity.

Graeme Honeyman, 33, a  trainee in gardening and horticulture, said: “It was a privilege and an honour and I fully  enjoyed it.

“The Queen asked me what I  did previously and I said I had  been a gardener for the past four  years.

 “It’s the last day of a  six-month course, so it’s finished off nicely.”

Rob Austin, 46, from Moretonhampstead, who is also  training in gardening and horticulture, said: “She asked us  what we thought of it here and  what we do on the course.

 “Prince Philip asked how  long we had been on the course  and whether we felt we were  getting something out of it.

“The Queen was sincere and  listened intently to what we had  to say.

“They were both fantastic  people and it was probably a  once-in-a-lifetime experience  meeting them.”

Following the Queen’s tour of  the office, the chair of trustees,  Sue Hobbs, gave a speech thanking the Queen for her interest in  the charity’s work. The Queen  then unveiled a commemorative plaque and signed the visitors’ book.

 Staff at the charity had been  busy preparing for the Queen’s  visit.

 Debbie Branch, office manager and personal assistant to  the CEO, said: “It’s been a bit  hectic because I have been involved in co-ordinating the  event here, but it has been a  really great honour to meet  her.”

The charity’s admissions administrator Karen Bowden  said: “It was lovely. She seemed  very homely and sweet.

 “I have helped out with the  preparations. I think we have  all got involved — it was a bit of  a team effort. It’s been a privilege to meet her.”

St Loye’s events co-ordinator  Helen Trebble said: “It’s a fantastic opportunity to let her  know what we are doing in the  community. It’s nice to see the  crowds come out for her.

 “My manager introduced her  to the fundraising team and she  asked about what we did. She  was very interested and very  chatty.”

Catherine Bauer, marketing  co-ordinator for the charity,  said: “She was lovely. She  looked at you intently and was  interested in what we had to  say.  She had the capacity to  make each person feel important. That’s a great quality to  have when you consider all the  people she meets on a daily  basis.

 “It was a great honour and a  real privilege.”

Following the visit to St  Loye’s, hundreds of young cadets stood to attention to salute  the  Queen and Prince Philip at a  ceremony at Wyvern Barracks  to mark the 150th anniversary  of the cadet movement.

The occasion took  five weeks  to plan after Colonel David  Howells, who is based at Exeter,   invited the Queen, a patron of  the cadets, and the Prince  to  visit the city.

The commander of the  Devon  Army Cadet Force said:  “We  achieved it in such a short  time  for what is a very special  and  unique event for Exeter.”

Talking to cadets who put on    climbing displays on a 30ft high   wall, Jessica Palfrey, 16, invited   the Queen to have a go.

  Jessica, from Uffculme, said  afterwards: “When I  asked her  to take part she said  she  couldn’t because she was not   wearing the right shoes. This   made us all laugh.”

Jessica, who has set her  sights  on going to Sandhurst  and becoming an army officer,  added:  “She was very pleasant.  It has been a big  thrill to meet  such a  high-powered woman.”

Sidmouth air cadet Mattheu   Broom, 17, said: “We all  feel so   proud to be here.”

 Staff Sergeant Ryan  Braunton-Turner, 16, of East  Devon, said the Queen asked  about the Community Sports  Leadership Award, given to  those who help others get involved in leisure activities.

 “She thought it was good that  we took control and share leadership,” he said.

 “It was quite an experience  meeting her.”

 The royal couple also met the  parents of Cadets and praised  their commitment.

 One father, Ian Vincent, from  Exeter, said: “The Queen said  that parents are committed to  bringing their children here.

 “She said it was a good start in  life and that there was a whole  range of activities  they do and  that it was very interesting.”

Mr Vincent’s 16-year-old    daughter, Fay, is a cadet.

 He said: “I should imagine  she was beside herself with excitement.

“She was polishing her boots  for days to make them shiny  enough.”

The Queen was presented  with  a posy by four-year-old  Charley  Way who was accompanied by his mum, Julie, and  dad, Garry, who is a Warrant  Officer at Wyvern.

The royal couple then went on  to visit Dartington Hall, where  they had lunch, before touring  the Wrigley’s factory in Plymouth.