KING Charles III will be ‘personally’ greeting people attending coronation events in West Somerset next month.

The King has already been welcoming tourists in Porlock Visitor Centre and will be attending many other venues across the district thanks to local design and printing firm First Graphic Communications.

The King’s appearances are by way of life-size cardboard cut-outs which First Graphic customers are able to purchase in two different styles, one ‘Black Tie’ and one military.

The company was set up in 2008 by Mark Padgett in The Old Tannery, Porlock, and now has four full-time employees.

It produces a range of marketing material for local businesses and clients further afield, including graphic design, website design, and printing, and aims to be a one-stop shop making it easy for businesses to market themselves.

Mr Padgett said: “It turns out the King is too busy to visit West Somerset so we thought it would be good to provide the next best thing, plus, customers get to choose what outfit he wears.

“Usually, our work is serious and important commercial projects.

“So, promoting the free-standing cardboard cut-outs of the King provides a fun break from our serious work of producing marketing material for our clients across West Somerset and further afield.

“We thought they were a fun, light-hearted way to celebrate the coronation - novel and kitsch – and people cannot help but look twice.”

Mr Padgett said First Graphic had received a lot of orders ranging from law firms and people organising coronation parties to someone who has worked with the Royal Family.