Princess Anne opens Animal Health Trust's Wooldridge Building in Newmarket

Princess Anne paid tribute to Animal Health Trust's work during the recent equine influenza outbreak in opening the charity's new head office.

The Princess Royal, part of Britain's Olympic eventing team in Montreal 1976, unveiled a plaque to The Wooldridge Building at the charity's base near Newmarket.

A spokesman for the trust said: "She met vets and scientists who in February provided round-the-clock expert advice and sample testing to help save British racing during the equine influenza outbreaks."

On Thursday (March 28) the Royal was accompanied by Lord Lieutenant of Suffolk, Clare Countess of Euston, and hosted at Lanwades Park by the Animal Health Trust’s Chief Executive Dr Mark Vaudin and Trustees.

The Queen's daughter is well-known for her love for horses and, following her equestrian career, became the first Royal to appear on BBC panel show A Question of Sport.

She unveiled plaques to the new office and accommodation buildings named after the trust’s founder, Reginald Wooldridge who established the charity back in 1942 with the aim of advancing veterinary research and to develop new techniques and medicines.

The spokesman added: "To this day the charity leads the way in preventing disease and injury in dogs, cats and horses.

"There are two veterinary referral clinics on site, providing state-of-the-art care for very sick and injured animals as well as laboratories where scientists discover cures and treatments and prevent diseases in companion animals from occurring in the first place."