A MEMBER of the royal family joined in with a carol service at Hereford Cathedral.

Princess Anne was a special guest at the Townswomen’s Guilds Carol Service last Wednesday.

The Princess Royal, in her role as the organisation's patron, joined the 650 members as they sang classic Christmas carols.

The service was a sell-out, with tickets sold months in advance and every seat taken.

The Townswomen’s Guilds is one of the UK’s largest and oldest female membership organisations.

Board members thanked Princess Anne, on behalf of the membership, for her continued support of the organisation and their plans for the future.

She has had a long relationship with the group - the first contact was in 1977 when the guilds raised funds for Save the Children, of which The Princess Royal is patron.

Princess Anne then formally took on the role of patron in the years that followed.

The organisation boasts around 600 guilds and 24,000 members and has a ‘new generation’ of members, attracted by the events, friendship, crafts and campaigning offered at guilds around the country.