Young volunteers from Lee-on-the-Solent's Hovercraft Museum enjoy 'real honour' of meeting explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes

Joe and Luis Mitchell, both 16, volunteer at the museum in Lee-on-the-Solent on weekends, and are very proud of the work they do.

The pair joined their mum Siobhan Mitchell, who runs the Campaign to Ban Trophy Hunting, on a recent visit to Westminster for an event on the topic, where legendary explorer Sir Ranulph was one of the keynote speakers.

Joe said: ‘I was lucky enough to meet Princess Anne when she came to visit the other Princess Anne - the SRN4 Hovercraft - last year, then last week I met the patron of the Hovercraft Museum, Sir Ranulph Fiennes.’

Sir Ranulph said: ‘I’m honoured to be patron of the Hovercraft Museum, and it is lovely to meet these two teenage volunteers who are giving up their weekend time to work there for free.’

Sir Ranulph has taken on epic journeys across the world, including the 1969 White Nile Hovercraft Expedition, which travelled along the longest river in the world for 4,000 miles.

Joe added: ‘He’s a man I really look up to, he has travelled the world raising millions for charity, and on one of his expeditions used two hovercraft - one of which is still in Lake Victoria, in Africa - to travel down the White Nile river in Africa.

‘Sir Ranulph has achieved so much and he doesn’t need to prove anything, he is very approachable and humble for all that and it was a real honour to meet him.’

The pair love volunteering at the museum, and have learned a lot about hovercraft since they started.

Luis said: ‘Hovercraft are cool, they are one of the best British inventions, so getting to work on these crafts is awesome, I’ve learned a lot, we are a good team and it is fun working with the other volunteers.

‘I’m looking forward to it being open to the public again, because that means there will be hovercraft rides again soon, the museum opens again on February 22.’