Kate ‘wanted fire engine to travel at top speed’ during training college visit

The Princess of Wales joked that she wanted a fire engine to travel at top speed with sirens blaring, when given a ride during a tour of a new college training firefighters in Northern Ireland.

William and Kate made an unannounced visit to Ulster to see first-hand the training given to the next generation, who are learning to tackle a range of challenges, from saving flood victims to rescuing casualties from high-rise buildings.

The royal visitors also tried their hand at saving mock casualties who had fallen into the raging torrents of a flood simulator, but failed to throw the line quickly enough.

The couple were taken a short distance across the 50-acre site of the Northern Ireland Fire and Rescue Service Learning and Development College, outside Cookstown in Co Tyrone, in the red engine, but travelled at a sedate pace.

Newly qualified firefighters Caoimhe McNeice, 25, and Piarais McCaffery, 32, joined the royal guests for part of the visit, and described their experiences at the centre of excellence.

Ms McNeice said about the driver: “He got us there safely, I think he was on a limit for his speed.

“The princess was wanting the sirens on, but he was strictly told no.

“It was just a bit of banter, she said ‘I’d love to drive at the real speed and have the sirens on’.”

Kate also wanted her husband to take the wheel, Ms McNeice said. “She was wanting the prince to drive, but the driver got us there anyway.”

William and Kate visited Belfast three years ago. They took part in a cocktail-making race at a market and visited Carrickfergus.

Kensington Palace said the couple would “spend the day visiting innovative organisations that showcase growth and investment in rural areas and demonstrate entrepreneurial and creative opportunities for young people”.

William and Kate appeared impressed by the facilities at the college, officially opened in May, which can replicate a range of dangerous scenarios in the safety of a learning environment with instructors at hand.

With chief fire and rescue officer Aidan Jennings they watched a team manoeuvring a huge ladder, another carrying dummies from a burning shop, and an outdoor display of trainees leaning to use powerful hoses.

Mr McCaffery said the princess had told him the college meant “we’re ahead of the game” and that whenever they were called out to an incident, they would know what to do.

At the huge water facility that created rapids around the shell of a building, the couple watched staff patiently recover a mock casualty, then tried throwing lines to volunteers who jumped in the fast-moving water to re-create someone being swept away.

William went first but his line just missed, as did one thrown by his wife a few minutes later, but instructor Pete Sloane said: “The water was moving at 24 knots, very fast, and they were both very close.

“It’s difficult to hit a moving target but another go and they would have had it.”

In the afternoon, William and Kate visited Mallon Farm in Co Tyrone, which was a dairy farm for generations before becoming a flax farm in 2020.

Helen Keys MBE and Charlie Mallon of Mallon Farm showed them flax fields and a machine from the 1940s being used to process flax to make linen, and about their efforts to promote a sustainable flax and linen industry.

Kate tried an old mechanical technique of breaking bunches of flax to soften it, before being shown a large restored 1940s machine, which she said was like a hairbrush.

Full-time carer Tiernan Stuart said he was inspired by Henry VII banning Irish gentry from wearing more than 22 yards of linen to make a mini spinning machine in his spare time.

Showing them the mini machine, he said he would like to see children encouraged to try and make something similar.

“It sounds like you should be launching a design challenge,” William told him.

“Amazing designers would be able to come through and produce something.”

Mr Stuart said afterwards he had considered launching a competition that would reward the fastest spinner, the most even spinner, and the finest spinner, to encourage the development of those skills.

They also met with Amy and Joel Anderson of Kindred of Ireland, who showed them some items of clothing made from linen, and who discussed how consumers are more interested in the origins of their clothing.

Kate also discussed how her ancestors were the owners of the woollen manufacturer and merchant, William Lupton & Co, which was based in Leeds during her visit to the farm.

Ms Keys said their visit was important as it “shines a light” on their attempts to develop a sustainable linen industry in Northern Ireland.

“It gives credibility to what were doing, it shines a light on it, so other people will notice what we’re doing,” Ms Keys said of their visit.

“If in five years’ time there’s lots of other farms doing the same thing as we’re doing, we’ll feel we are a success.”

Before leaving, the prince and princess met privately with officers from the Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI).

Whenever the couple visit, it is understood they try to spend time with representatives from the PSNI to thank them for their service and to hear about their experiences.

Next, the couple visited an apple farm in Armagh, Northern Ireland’s Orchard County.

Catherine McKeever described their visit as “surreal” saying she “never imagined” they would come to her family’s farm.

Mrs McKeever and her husband Pat’s children are now the third generation to run Long Meadow, which is just outside Portadown, Co Armagh.

They have diversified the business, which now produces craft ciders, apple juice and apple cider vinegars and welcomes tourists for tours and tastings.

William and Kate viewed the production facilities and sampled some of the freshly made produce.

Mr and Mrs McKeever’s son Peter said: “The juice was freshly pressed, no added water, no added sugar. They got it in its raw, pure state and they absolutely loved it.”

He said he had discussed cider with the couple, adding: “William didn’t say what he liked as a favourite, but he said he likes a dry cider.”

An apple-picking excursion followed, with the royal couple helping to gather some of the Bramleys.

Pat McKeever said they were very interested in the different varieties and discussed the apple trees they have at home.

The final stop was for a royal bake-off, when William and Kate tried their hands at making the McKeevers’ favourite potato apple bread.

Asked what it was like to teach the future king and queen the recipe, which has been handed down through her family, Mrs McKeever said it was “just absolutely unbelievable.

“It was just as if they were an ordinary couple coming in to see how to make bread.”