A WOMAN who works at an award-winning Melksham company won a ballot to visit the Queen.

Julie Abbott, 44, who works for Checkmate UK Ltd, said it was "just wonderful" when her name was picked out of a hat, meaning she would represent the company at Buckingham Palace.

Checkmate UK received a Queen's Award for Enterprise in the International Trade section, due to its growth in overseas earnings.

Mrs Abbott, who went to the ceremony with chairman Paul Auston and Ken Luxton, from the company's Kent site, has worked at Checkmate for four years.

She said: "I shook hands with the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. I also spoke to the Duke of Kent and saw Princess Ann and Prince Edward.

Checkmate's Avon Fabrications is a leading manufacturer of advanced flexible engineering, including skirts, seals and materials for hovercrafts.