King Charles pulls pints at charming Staffordshire brewery after marking British construction firm JCB's 80th birthday with a special visit

King Charles pulled pints at a charming Stafffordshire brewery after marking British construction behemoth JCB's 80th birthday. Charles, 76, appeared in good spirits as he arrived in Uttoxeter on Monday to celebrate the milestone anniversary of the machine construction company before popping in to a local brewery in Burton-upon-Trent later in the day.

The monarch made a royal entrance as he walked through two diggers positioned by his State Bentley to 'salute' him at the firm's headquarters. Charles, who was accompanied by the comany's billionaire chairman Lord Bamford,  helped out on the JCB production line and tried his hand on some of the equipment.

The King also helped fit a wheel with team leader Becky Bayliss, 32, who said his effort was 'perfect'. 'He was a little unsure if he managed to get the nut all the way up but the way he handled it was perfect,' she explained. JCB - known for manufacturing equipment for the construction, agricultural, waste handling and demolition industries -  is the third largest company in its category, worldwide, and employs 7,500 people in the UK.

The firm was awarded a Royal Warrant in January. King Charles pulled pints at a charming Stafffordshire brewery after marking British construction behemoth JCB's 80th birthday. He later travelled to the Tower Brewery in Burton Upon Trent, where he met the pub's owner John Mills (right).

For his visit to its World Headquarters, Charles picked a long green jacket that he wore over a smart grey suit with a white shirt. He finished the smart ensemble with a pair of dark brown brogues. The King spent almost an hour touring the vast warehouse set in 175 acre grounds, shaking hands with staff and apprentices.

Warmly greeting 100-year-old Ken Harrison, who worked on the original factory floor when it opened in 1945, the King said: 'Are you sure you should be here today? I'm very impressed. 'I hope you got your message on your hundredth birthday? I'm so glad the system works!' he told Ken, who has worked for JCB for 36 years.

During his visit, he also viewed JCB's new combustion engine fuelled by hydrogen, remarking: 'And it takes three or four minutes to fill up?'. Earlier this year, JCB celebrated making its millionth backhoe loader - a machine that consists of style shovel bucket on the front and a backhoe on the back.

The backhoe is claimed to have changed the world, replacing 'the man with a shovel'. Charles unveiled a plague in honour of the machine, which was invented by JCB's founder, the late Joseph Cyril Bamford CBE in 1953. Charles greeted members of the public, including Annette Allerton, whose mother used to work in the canteen - with the King making a beeline for her two shih tzu dogs Lottie, 8, and 10-year-old Bindy.

The King also helped fit a wheel with team leader Becky Bayliss, 32, who said his effort was 'perfect'. The monarch made a royal entrance as he walked through two diggers positioned by his State Bentley to 'salute' him at the firm's headquarters. Charles (right) unveiled a plague in honour of the backhoe loader, which was invented by JCB's founder - the late Joseph Cyril Bamford CBE - in 1953.

Later in the day, the King visited Tower Brewery, an independent, family-run brewery that has been serving  Burton-Upon-Trent for 24 years. While visiting the Tower Brewery, Charles stopped to chat with its owner John Mills, his wife Karen Mills and daughters Grace and Annabel (pictured).

Standing in front of JCB's one millionth Backhoe digger, Lord Bamford gave a speech to King and staff gathered in the reception. He said: 'I was most pleased for you to see the progress we have made in the development in hydrogen internal combustion engines.

'We see an enormous emission free future in these engines both inmachinery but also trucks, buses and possibly even in cars.'. Showing the King the special Backhoe digger, Lord Bamford added: 'Before that most trenches were dug by humans withs shovels. 'What an increase in productivity this machine has brought to the world and also how many bad backs there haven't been as well.'.

Charles and Camilla previously opened the JCB Academy in February 2011. More than 3,500 students have graduated since it was opened and currently has 1,000 pupils and 250 apprentices. Today, the King also got to meet students and graduates including Rhys Bradbury, 29, who he saw in 2011, and is now JCB sales operations manager for Scandinavia.

King Charles in conversation with JCB chairman Lord Bamford during his visit to JCB's World Headquarters in Uttoexter, England. Following his visit to JCB's headquarters, the King also stopped by an independent brewery run by John Mills (right). The monarch seemed practiced pulling pints with Mills and seemed pleased with his pour as he was photographed smiling and looking relaxed.

Around 3,500 staff, almost the entire workforce, lined up outside waving Union Flags to cheer the King as he departed. They included Annette Allerton, whose mother used to work in the canteen, with the King making a beeline for her two shih tzu dogs Lottie, 8, and 10-year-old Bindy.