A saddler for the royal family faces the loss of his most prized possession - a royal warrant.

Parker's Saddlery has provided riding equipment to the royals for decades, including supplying the Queen Mother with bridles and silks for horse racing.

Owner Tony Parker prizes his royal warrant from the Queen Mother which he gained during the Sixties.

However, he will have to take down the coat of arms because the royal warrant holders office gives holders five years to stop using it after the death of their patron.

Mr Parker said: "It will be very sad if we have to lose the warrant. We are very proud of it. It's a recognition of our status in the trade."

Parker's, in Horsham, is one of 218 traders to hold the warrant.

Other businesses include upholsterers, florists and jewellers, with some also holding warrants from the Queen, the Duke of Edinburgh or the Prince of Wales.

Mr Parker said: "The Queen Mother was as charming as everyone says.

"She was a wonderful lady whose life covered such a wide span of years."

Other royal customers of Parker's, which had a shop in London for more than 100 years, include Prince Philip and the late Duke of Gloucester.

At 70, Mr Parker is the fourth and last generation of his family to run the saddlery which was started by his great-grandfather in 1851.

He said: "My children are not taking over the business. It will die with me."

A Buckingham Palace spokesman said all royal warrant holders lose the right to use the coat of arms five years after the death of their patron.

The firm is one of more than 200 which face losing their warrants.