THE Queen will step on to Bedfordshire soil at Arlesey tomorrow (Friday) morning for an exhaustive royal visit. She will arrive on the Royal Train and will return home to Buckingham Palace when the special train leaves Sandy station later in the afternoon

THE Queen will step on to Bedfordshire soil at Arlesey tomorrow (Friday) morning for an exhaustive royal visit.

She will arrive on the Royal Train and will return home to Buckingham Palace when the special train leaves Sandy station later in the afternoon.

Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh are expected to arrive at Arlesey station on the train from King's Cross at around 10.30am where she will be met by the Lord Lieutenant of Bedfordshire Samuel Whitbread.

After arriving at Arlesey, the couple will make the short drive to their first engagement at Samuel Whitbread Community College, Clifton, where she will meet staff and pupils before opening the new building.

The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh will then be driven to Chicksands where she will tour the new offices of Mid Beds District Council and unveil a plaque. She will also speak to staff before having lunch with specially invited guests.

The couple then split up, with the Queen going to the Sue Ryder home at Moggerghanger while the duke goes on a tour of Stotfold Mill.

At the mill the duke will be met by John Saunders, chairman of Stotfold Mill Preservation Trust, and one of the trustees John Street, who are both councillors and local residents.

During his visit to the mill the duke will see the production of flour and meet volunteers who have helped in the mill's restoration. He will also be presented with a watercolour of the mill painted by local artist Geoff Hoile and unveil a commemorative plaque and sculpture named The Last Miller given to the mill by world renowned sculptor John Mills from Hinxworth.

Strict security measures will be in operation throughout Mid Bedfordshire during the Royal couple's visit with the Royal Train being kept guarded in a local siding until her departure from Sandy late in the afternoon.

Send us your pictures

WELLWISHERS are expected to flock to all destinations to try and get a glimpse of Her Majesty and the Duke of Edinburgh.

If you get a picture, let us know - we will be publishing the best in the Comet next week on our special royal visit pages. You can email your pictures to editorial@thecomet.net and you can send mobile pictures* to 0784 350 0912 and start your message with GALLERY FREE. We will be updating our website www.thecomet.net on Friday afternoon with a report and picture special.

*Standard rate MMS - Normal charges apply.