Prince Harry in mother's footsteps as he visits minefield

PRINCE Harry evoked memories of his mother yesterday, when he visited a charity clearing minefields in Mozambique.

The prince spent two days in the east African country with the Halo Trust, the world's largest agency involved in mine clearance, which is based in Scotland.

Princess Diana spoke out vociferously against the sale and use of landmines, and famously called for an international ban on the devices during a trip to Angola in 1997 after spending time with landmine victims.

Tracts of Mozambique are still strewn with the lethal explosives after years of civil war.

Yesterday, Harry met villagers and amputees, including a boy who lost his leg herding cattle, and was given a close-up demonstration of mine clearance work.

His visit took place in villages around the Cahora Bassa dam in Tete province, where ten villages straddle ten miles of unfenced minefields, placing hundreds of families within yards of more than 30,000 mines.

The agency's chief executive, Guy Willoughby, said: "Halo is delighted that Prince Harry has come out to support us in this quest to clear Mozambique of mines – a task we could complete in the next four years.

"He has learned something of the dirty, boring, dangerous work that Halo's 7,700 staff undertake day-in, day-out in the world's most mine-impacted countries.

"His mother was brilliant at getting the profile of the risk of mines globally recognised. Prince Harry clearly wishes to follow her magnificent example."