A CHARITY care home near Winchester was opened by its patron, the Countess of Wessex, during an official ceremony.

The Lord Lieutenant of Hampshire, Nigel Atkinson, welcomed the Countess to The Brendoncare Foundation’s new Otterbourne site, where she unveiled a plaque to mark the occasion.

During the visit, she was entertained by the Otterbourne Hill choir and children from the nearby Yellow Dot Nursery, and met donors who helped raise funds to build the new home.

Carole Sawyers, chief executive of Brendoncare, said: “We are delighted to welcome our patron the Countess of Wessex to Otterbourne Hill to officially open our new innovative service.

“We are so grateful for the time and support she continues to give to Brendoncare.”

The Countess later met residents, their families and staff.

This was her first visit since 2016 when she marked the official start of construction on the development.

She described Otterbourne Hill as a “gem” and expressed her gratefulness for meeting the residents and the staff that work there.