The Prince of Wales has spoken to teenagers about dealing with bereavement during a visit to a charity.

Prince William travelled to Widnes in Cheshire to see the work done by Child Bereavement UK, of which he has been a patron since 2009.

The charity, which provides free, confidential bereavement support for children and young people, as well as families where a child has died, was launched in 1994 with support from William’s mother Diana, Princess of Wales.

Executive manager Sue Randall said the prince has been involved since 2009 and that “he’s been brilliant as patron”.

Speaking with the young people at the charity, Prince William asked whether they had found it hard to talk about how they had felt immediately after a bereavement.

Rebecca, 17, who lost her father, told him: “I didn’t really know how I felt because it was very sudden. Child Bereavement UK helped me direct the way I felt about it.”

The prince said it was “crucial in the first few years particularly that people have support like this”.

“It gets you in a practice to know how to help yourself going forward,” he said.

The teenagers made memory jars, filled with salt in colours which reminded them of their loved ones, as they spoke with the prince.

He also had a private meeting with bereaved parents during his time at the offices.

He then met staff, volunteers and fundraisers including 16-year-old boxer Clayton, who began fundraising for the charity after his coach Tommy Thompson used the service following his daughter’s death.

Speaking after meeting the prince, Clayton said: “He was a genuine person, very down to earth.

“Obviously he’s been through the same situation as a lot of people so you can see when he does say he’s glad of what we’re doing, it’s important because he knows what it’s like for others.”