William and Harry join DIY SOS team at project for ex-service personnel

The royal brothers were in Manchester to help turn the Newton Heath street into homes for army veterans for the show’s latest “Big Build”.

The Duke showed off his artistic flair as he painted the kitchen of one of the 62 houses, whilst Harry’s work was cut out for him next door.

Prince Harry was tasked with laying paving stones in the garden and put his hands up in the air and laughed on completion.

Naturally building work came to a standstill for a just a matter of minutes to watch the brothers handiwork and DIY skills.

They joined presenter Nick Knowles and the DIY SOS team of builders as well as hundreds of volunteers in helping with the final stages of the build.

Hailed as the show’s “most ambitious” project to date, it will see eight buildings undergo renovation plus the rejuvenation of the facades of 62 houses to help create the basis of a new mixed community.

Builders and residents alike were overwhelmed to meet the royal brothers.

Resident John Wilkinson, 58, said meeting the Duke and Prince Harry was “brilliant” but fears he will be left single after his wife Margaret’s meeting with Harry.

He said: “They were gentlemen. They were more flirting with Margaret than anyone else. She was well chuffed with Harry. I think she is going to leave me!”

He added the project had prevented his home in Canada Street, which he has lived in for 28 years, from being demolished.

He added: “Hopefully this is the catalyst across the country to do something for all our soldiers and families. There is no reason for our soldiers to be living on the streets, they can come and form a nice community here.”

Former military man Paul Murphy, who owns a scaffolding company, said he may change the name to “Royal Chorlton Scaffolding” after being given the royal seal of approval from the brothers.

Mr Murphy, 47, who served with the Second Battalion Royal Irish Rangers and in the Falklands, said he would not be washing his hands after shaking the Duke’s hand twice, adding their visit was “well played” on their part.

He added: “He thanked me and said well done. It was beautiful. It’s amazing, I think it gives everyone a reward for doing this.

“It’s nice to give something back – they have all been doing, for nothing, companies all putting in their own time, people just walking off the streets to help. It’s a bit of a reward to see the Royals here today. Well played to them as well.”

Andy Walton, 42, who served in the Royal Engineers for 23 years and currently works on oil rigs, said he and the Duke exchanged banter about their football teams.

He added that William – an Aston Villa fan – told Mr Walton that his team, Liverpool, had “stolen” their best player.

“It was cracking. I found William very talkative. I was having a lot of banter with him about the football. We have got them this Saturday. He was saying ‘you stole our best player (Christian Benteke) but I think you will win this Saturday’.”

He added that he asked William who he would be supporting in the rugby to which he replied “Wales” yet said his brother would be supporting England.

“I said ‘I hope you will be crying into your food’, he said ‘yep that’s usually how it goes’. They seem to have that divide and banter between them on everything.”

He added that Prince Harry had shunned his brother’s painting. “He said ‘you can tell which part my brother has done because it’s not very good’, he said he will paint over it and painted over what William had done.”