PRINCE Charles will celebrate his 70th birthday this year and to celebrate the Lancashire Telegraph looks back at the times the heir to the throne came to visit East Lancs in the past 25 years.

Greeted by thousands of people, men, women and children would line the streets in all weathers to catch a glimpse at the royal.

In March 1993, Prince Charles visited Blackburn and was greeted by the town's mayor, Cllr Eileen Entwistle and others and visited King George's Hall, the Roman Road Community Centre.

70 facts about Prince Charles - including how he likes his brew (clue: he doesn't have builders)

In February 2008, The Prince returned to the area and visited Burnley, where he was met by the town's air cadets, Burnley Council leader Cllr Gordon Birtwistle and other members of the council.

He attended a private meeting to discuss the regeneration of Burnley and visited the Lancashire Digital Technology Centre where the prince opened a new workshop at the engineering firm BCW.

Two years later, The Prince returned to Burnley, wearing a Burnley FC badge and claret-coloured tie and handkerchief and visited Turf Moor, where he met the club's chairman Barry Kilby.

And as recent as last year, Prince Charles made his latest appearance and visited Clitheroe, where he visited Cowmans Famous Sausage Shop where he sampled a specially made royal sausage.