One thing's for sure, there is going to be a bit of competition among the 300 male occupants of Royal Hospital Chelsea.

For today the institution accepted women as Chelsea Pensioners for the first time in its 300-year history.

Dorothy Hughes, 85, and Winifred Phillips, 82, were officially welcomed to the Royal Hospital Chelsea in west London.

They will live alongside 300 men at the site, which is home to war veterans with no dependants.

Ms Phillips said: 'It's been fabulous. It's just like the Army all over again but you don't have so much to do.'