A Shoreham woman whose son is on active service in the Gulf spoke to Prince Andrew when he paid a morale-boosting visit to Royal Navy families.

Rita Greed's son Gary Burridge, 37, is serving on the minehunter HMS Bangor off Iraq.

Mrs Greed was her granddaughter Rebecca, 11, who said: "I'm very proud of my daddy and I want him to come home quickly."

Mrs Greed said: "I told Prince Andrew what ship my son was on and I told him I was not happy about the level of coverage that he was receiving because what he is doing is very important.

"The Prince said he thought the Navy would now get more media coverage.

"I think it's a wonderful thing he has come here to visit us because he can relate to things. He has been there and he has been in the Falklands and he can relate to what we are going through and he is very easy to talk to."

Mrs Greed said she was constantly worried about her son, whose job is to operate a submersible sensor which locates mines.

She said: "I am worried sick about him. I put the TV on and I cannot watch it, then I go to bed and at three in the morning, my eyes ping open and I am wondering where he is."

The Duke of York was visiting the loved ones of servicemen and women on Royal Navy ships at Portsmouth naval base.

He recently retired from the Navy after 22 years, having seen active service in the 1982 Falklands conflict as a helicopter pilot.