Prince Charles has visited the Stannah factory in Andover to launch and commemorate production of their 500,000th stairlift.

He spent nearly two hours at the factory touring the assembly line and meeting several generations of the Stannah family and their workers.

The family-run business was established in London in 1867 and exports to 24 countries employing 1,450 people in the UK and 250 abroad.

The Prince of Wales joked he knew where to get a complimentary stairlift when he reaches "decrepitude".

Charles, 62, is patron of Abbeyfield and The Almshouse Association charities to whom he presented stairlifts.

He then said in a speech to staff on the factory floor: "I'm someone who is a great admirer of family companies, particularly hereditary lift makers."

During the visit he also met two apprentices, two members of staff who have volunteered in the local community and the head teacher and two pupils of a local school that Stannah support during their Science and Engineering Week.