THE chairman of the Preston branch of the NSPCC has paid tribute to the charity's president Princess Margaret.

Chairman Tony McGuiness said he was devastated after hearing the news of the Queen's sister's death following a long period of ill health.

"She will be sadly missed," Mr McGuiness, of Liverpool Road, Penwortham, said. "She was a dedicated president to the NSPCC."

It was on an official engagement to Preston six years ago that Mr McGuiness first met Princess Margaret.

As the charity's president she opened the NSPCC's drop-in centre in Oxford Street, Preston, and met members of the charity involved in the project.

Mr McGuiness, 69, said: "She went along the line asking questions about the centre on the way. I remember she was very polite and listened intently to what people had to say.

"But we were warned not to speak until spoken to. She seemed very impressed by the new centre and the facilities available for the children."

The drop-in centre is a valuable resource in the community for parents requiring help on bringing up their children. Staff and trained volunteers are on hand to offer basic parenting skills and there is support for parents finding the job of raising their children too much to bare.

Two years ago Mr McGuiness and his wife Patricia, who have five children and 16 grandchildren, met Princess Margaret for a second time after travelling to Kensington Palace along with other invited guests of the charity.

"She was in a wheelchair and found it very difficult. She could only speak to two or three people before getting tired. But I remember her as a really pretty women in her day and was devastated to hear of her death."

Princess Maragret became president of the NSPCC in 1953 and gave invaluable support to the charity for almost half-a-century in their work to help abused and neglected children.

During her presidency the princess attended hundreds of NSPCC events including the charity's annual council meetings in London.