Prince Harry visits soldiers who were sent to help flood-ravaged towns in the North West during Christmas

Prince Harry has met soldiers deployed to flood-ravaged regions which were left devastated by the recent storms to thank them for their efforts in aiding recovery.

He visited Weeton Barracks, where he spoke with personnel from the 2nd Battalion, The Duke of Lancaster's Regiment, who were sent to town and villages in Lancashire, Yorkshire and Cumbria left underwater.

He told them it was:

For more than four weeks in December, every member of the battalion - approximately 500 soldiers from the base near Blackpool, Lancashire - was positioned to help deal with the crisis.

The huge Army presence was drafted in to help flood-affected areas in Carlisle, Keswick, Kendal, Cockermouth, Appleby and Glenridding in Cumbria, and St Michael's in Lancashire.

Many residents were evacuated from their homes and businesses, which were left underwater following the deluge of water from storms Desmond, Eva, Frank and Gertrude.

The Prince heard that the troops worked tirelessly as they went from door to door to check on residents and supported the recovery work.

Outside, almost 200 school children from the barracks' on-site primary school and nursery had lined the entrance to the Warrant Officers' and Sergeants' Mess to greet Prince Harry as he arrived in his Land Rover.

The children - of which the majority live on site - had only been told minutes before that they would be seeing "a real-life prince".

Many of the children did not get to see their parents over Christmas, because of the floods.

As he approached, the children, who had been marched to their viewing spot, began to shout and wave.

Prince Harry took time out to shake hands and greet the school children, who asked him some interesting questions:

Harry told the children that he could not answer the last question.

Weeton Primary School head teacher Anthony Goff said: